3 trade proposals for the Cardinals to acquire Emmanuel Clase and Shane Bieber

The Cleveland Guardians are willing to hear offers on both starting pitcher Shane Bieber and closer Emmanuel Clase according to rumors around the league. Jeff Passan of ESPN (subscription required) reported that the Guardians are willing to trade their All-Star closer given the right return. Additionally, it has been long rumored that Shane Bieber will be on the move this offseason.

The St. Louis Cardinals seem to have solved their rotation this offseason, but upgrades could still be made. It doesn't sound like John Mozeliak is done dealing just yet; the bullpen seems to be the most likely place for upgrades, and St. Louis will more than likely make these upgrades through trades rather than spending more in free agency. Cleveland appears to be a good trade partner on paper.

Cleveland's offense was anemic last year. They ranked 20th in MLB in OPS+ in 2023 and were 29th in slugging percentage. Their pitching, conversely, has always been strong. They are able to promote MLB-ready pitchers consistently. St. Louis, on the other hand, could still use pitching upgrades. Their lineup is strong and has the potential to be a top-10 offense in baseball next year. Cleveland is also looking to shed salary, and St. Louis still has room to grow in payroll this year, especially with the backloading of Sonny Gray's contract.

Recent reports have also indicated that Shane Bieber is open to signing an extension with whoever trades for him. Should John Mozeliak finesse a trade for both Bieber and Emmanuel Clase (or just Bieber alone), he could ink Shane Bieber to a long-term contract which is what Mo has done in the past with players like Paul Goldschmidt.

From a contract perspective, Shane Bieber is a free agent after this season, and he is projected to receive around $12 million in salary in 2024 through arbitration. Clase was signed to an extension before the 2022 season. It was a 5-year, $20 million contract. He will be paid $2.9 million in 2024, $4.9 million in 2025, and $6.4 million in 2026. There are two club options for 2027 and 2028 both set at $10 million annually.

Here are three trade proposals for the Cardinals to acquire both Shane Bieber and Emmanuel Clase.

Trade Proposal #2

Guardians receive Tyler O'Neill, Gordon Graceffo, and Ian Bedell
Cardinals receive Shane Bieber and Emmanuel Clase

Tyler O'Neill raises the power and defensive potential for this trade. Both he and Shane Bieber are free agents this year so that transaction balances out. Gordon Graceffo is a strong pitching prospect who can make the rotation as early as next season. Ian Bedell is a bit of a deeper pitching prospect, but he has excellent control and a fairly deep pitch mix.

Once again, St. Louis receives a starting pitcher in Shane Bieber who could lead a rotation and a closer with a track record of fantastic success. Cleveland maintains its prospect depth and gains two players who could provide a boost to their rotation both now and in the future.

Both Graceffo and Bedell have all of their years of team control left and plenty of remaining minor-league options. While O'Neill is a free agent after this season, Bieber, likewise, is only under team control for 2024. These two players are an even swap for each other. Tyler O'Neill would provide a pure power upgrade to an offense desperate for some big hits. His Gold Glove potential also helps, especially given the fact that he can play center or left field. O'Neill is about $7 million cheaper than Bieber, so Cleveland is getting financial freedom as well.

Gordon Graceffo is a very capable starting pitcher. He has a career 3.51 minor league ERA in 251 innings pitched. He pitched solely in AAA Memphis last year, and despite some struggles (4.92 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, 81 K's to 45 BBs), he has always had great control and strikeout numbers.

Ian Bedell is 24 years old, so he is an older prospect for sure. He pitched only in High-A Peoria last year, and he finished the season with a 2.44 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and 106 strikeouts to 34 walks in 96 innings. He started 19 games and was a reliever in 8 other games. Bedell is mostly known for his control, and the Cardinals elected to keep him on the 40-man roster most recently. He had Tommy John surgery in 2021, but he is far enough past that surgery that it isn't a concern anymore.

Trade Proposal #3

Guardians receive Dylan Carlson and Tink Hence
Cardinals receive Shane Bieber and Emmanuel Clase

With my final trade proposal, St. Louis only sends over two players, Dylan Carlson and Tink Hence, for Bieber and Clase. Carlson provides strong defense, lots of team control, and a switch-hitting bat with the potential for more than he's shown thus far. Tink Hence gives the Guardians a young but very talented pitcher who could be ready to start in the majors by 2025. Cleveland has plenty of starting pitchers both now and for the future, so they would be willing to wait on someone with the talent of Tink Hence.

Dylan Carlson was once a top-15 prospect in all of baseball. His rookie and sophomore seasons of 2020 and 2021 showed his potential as a five-tool player. Between those seasons, Carlson slashed .255/.328/.425 for an OPS+ of 107. He also showed strong defense in the corner outfield and in center. Since then, he has fallen mainly due to his splits against right-handed pitchers when he's batting left-handed and a handful of nagging injuries. Carlson's final numbers in 2023 were good enough for just a 79 OPS+.

Carlson does, however, still have three more years of team control and will cost a modest $2.1 million, thus saving Cleveland about $10 million next year. Additionally, Carlson's defense has been strong at multiple positions across each season of his professional career. Cleveland would be banking on Carlson continuing to provide strong defense while hoping to be able to tap into his offensive potential.

In addition to Dylan Carlson, Cleveland nets a top pitching prospect in all of baseball, Tink Hence. Though Hence is still young and relatively raw, his 2023 numbers were strong. St. Louis tried their hardest to manage his workload, but they moved him up to Springfield in July and let him loose a bit. He pitched 54.1 innings at AA, and he showed some signs of struggle. He had a 5.47 ERA, 1.509 WHIP (mainly due to an inflated walk rate), and struck out fewer than nine batters per nine innings. AA Springfield is where Hence first showed signs of struggle, but he is a top-50 prospect in baseball according to multiple outlets.

Despite some struggles at AA, Hence still has plenty of upside. He has a power fastball, a deceptive curveball, and a slider and change up that provide a deep pitch mix for the young righty. If Cleveland were more interested in Tekoah Roby, the deal might get a little more complicated, but those two players could be interchanged easily.