With the July 31 MLB trade deadline approaching, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman is actively searching for pitching reinforcements. The team is particularly in need of a starter following Clarke Schmidt’s season-ending Tommy John surgery.
However, manager Aaron Boone would also welcome additional firepower in the bullpen — and that’s where Emmanuel Clase enters the picture.
The Cleveland Guardians’ All-Star closer is reportedly available, and according to a scout who spoke with NJ Advance Media’s Randy Miller, the Yankees could land him by offering last year’s first-round pick, Ben Hess.
“I’d put Hess on the table,” said the scout. “I saw him pitch this year — he’s got the tools to be a No. 3 starter, but he struggles mentally when things go wrong. As talented as he is, I’d move on from him.”
While it’s uncommon for teams to trade a first-rounder so soon, Clase could be the exception.
“He’s a game-changer,” the scout said. “Tell him, ‘Go be Mariano Rivera and throw that 100 mph cutter.’ Ballgame. You know it’s coming, but you can’t hit it. If that’s not Rivera 2.0, I don’t know what is.”
Adding Clase would also allow the Yankees to restructure their bullpen. “Devin Williams could slide into the eighth, and Luke Weaver could cover the middle innings,” the scout added.
Clase, 27, has been dominant again this season, posting a 5-2 record with a 2.91 ERA and 20 saves in 43 games. He led the American League in saves the past three years (42 in 2022, 44 in 2023, and 47 in 2024), and finished third in last season’s AL Cy Young voting while placing 11th in MVP voting.
He’s currently earning $4.5 million and has $10 million club options for 2026 and 2027, per Spotrac.
Source: SI.com
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