The Philadelphia Phillies appear to be one win away from winning it all after experiencing strong October campaigns in each of the previous two seasons. And they could soon trade future potential for a better chance to win now, as they have several prominent players in their farm system.

According to Zachary Rymer of Bleacher Report, in a potential trade that would send third baseman Aidan Miller and outfielder Justin Crawford to the Cleveland Guardians, the Phillies are the favorite choice for reigning All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase.

“Even though Crawford and Miller are both pitchers, they are ranked in the top 100 of the MLB, coming in at No. 47 and No. 91, respectively,” Rymer noted. “So, this package might be effective if the Guardians’ objectives are to make Clase into several top-100 types.”

The MLB Saves Leader Emmanuel Clase Would Be the Philadelphia Phillies’ Real Closer Option

During his exceptional 2023 season, which saw him selected for his second All-Star game, Clase pitched with a 3.22 ERA, 64 strikeouts, and a record-tying 44 saves. Last season, that was the most saves by any MLB pitcher.

Furthermore, the Phillies would probably want some bullpen support in exchange if they were to give up any of their best prospects. They have a wealth of late-inning talent, such as Greg Soto, Jose Alvarado, and Jeff Hoffman, but they lost their leading saver in 2023, Craig Kimbrel, to the Baltimore Orioles in free agency.

Rymer mentioned that the Phillies are searching for a legitimate closer this winter as a result.

He stated, The Phillies were more strongly linked to Jordan Hicks and Robert Stephenson before they went elsewhere, and more tenuously tied to  Jos Hader before he signed with the Houston Astros.” This suggests that the Phillies aren’t entirely at ease with Alvarado Kimbrel’s position. And if that’s the case, it makes it much simpler to envision Dave Dombrowski, president of baseball operations, adding a Clase deal to his long list of successful blockbusters.

Because of his team-friendly contract, Clase has been linked to a number of high-profile trades this offseason as the Guardians attempt to load up on youthful talent. According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the 25-year-old pitcher’s guaranteed salary for the next three seasons is just $13 million. He will get $2.5 million in 2024, $4.5 million in 2025, and $6 million in 2026. In addition, he has club options for $10 million in 2027 and 2028.

In the offseason of 2024, are the Philadelphia Phillies still capable of pulling off a blockbuster?

The Phillies have mainly kept the same roster into the winter after making it to the NL Championship Series the previous year.

Most notably, the team lost free agent Rhys Hoskins to the Milwaukee Brewers and re-signed number-two starter Aaron Nola to a seven-year, $172 deal. It appears that the group is prioritizing consistency over big moves.

According to Matt Gelb for The Athletic, they are content to see the bigger pieces fall off the board and then acquire complementary players as costs drop. Everyone returning from a successful team, coaches and players alike, will bear the responsibility.