ESPN insider connects Yankees to 2 longtime AL Central enemies at trade deadline

The New York Yankees are no stranger to Emmanuel Clase. Whether it be because of his 2.30 ERA in 15 2/3 career innings against the Bronx Bombers or his meltdowns against the Yankees last postseason, he’s one of the few opponents whose name carries some weight among Yankees nation. 

Believer it or not, there's a chance he could go from an enemy to a friend.

On Thursday, ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan put out a story hypothesizing the best move for every contender, where he linked the Yankees to a variety of potential players, one of whom was the Guardians’ Clase along with Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Seth Lugo. 

The Yankees faced off against both of them last postseason. They tagged Lugo for two runs in five innings in a Game 3 loss to the Royals in the ALDS and recorded four runs in 2 1/3 innings against Clase in the ALCS. 

ESPN insider connects Yankees to two longtime AL Central enemies at trade deadline

But those average performances don’t tell the whole story about either player’s talent. Lugo authored a renaissance season last year for the Royals when he recorded a 3.00 ERA in 206 2/3 innings en route to a second place finish in the American League Cy Young voting.

He’s been just as good in 2025 and has posted a 2.67 ERA in 101 innings, though he did allow four earned runs in 6 2/3 innings against the Yankees earlier this year.

The Yankees’ rotation took a big hit earlier this month when Clarke Schmidt went down with an arm injury that will keep him out for the foreseeable future, so Lugo could help stabilize a starting rotation that’s filled with holes. 

Lugo’s in the final guaranteed year of his deal but he does have a $15 million player option for next season. 

Clase would also benefit the Yankees’ pitching staff, albeit in a different way. While the Yankees already have two closer types in Luke Weaver and Devin Williams, they’ve both had their struggles this year. Williams was so bad at the start of the year the Yankees removed him from the closer role, and Weaver has allowed eight earned runs in seven innings since returning from the injured list. 

Enter Clase. 

He had his fair share of struggles but has posted a 1.33 ERA with 14 saves in 27 innings since the start of May. The Guardians are hanging around the outside of the MLB postseason picture but there’s still been plenty of trade buzz around Clase, who is owed $6.4 million next year and has a $10 million team option for 2027 and ‘28. 

The other piece Passan mentioned in regard to the Yankees is third baseman Eugenio Suárez, who has been one of the best run producers this year. An impending free agent, Suárez has already smashed 29 homers this year and would help the Yankees fill their void at third base. 

All three of those players would be great fits for the Yankees. It just remains to be seen if the team’s front office will be willing to do what it takes to make the moves happen.