This story was originally published by Dead Spin
The Cleveland Guardians have the best record in baseball heading into the third week of August.
The “dog days of summer” are ending as serious playoff races around the MLB are heating up. The Guardians are the leader in the American League Central, and closer Emmanuel Clase deserves some props.
On Tuesday night, Clase’s dominant appearance against the Chicago Cubs was his fourth straight save in a row.
He’s the first pitcher to record a save in four consecutive days since Edwin Diaz did it in 2018. He’s the first player to do it in a Cleveland uniform since Jose Mesa in 1995.
Clase has already appeared in 57 games for the Guardians this season. He has 37 saves. His 0.64 ERA is a major improvement from last season’s 3.22. He’s just seven saves away from matching his total from last season. If he can stay as perfect as he’s been throughout August and into September, his campaign for Cy Young should grow.
The Cy Young Award is somewhat narrative-driven in nature, anyway. So here’s a narrative for you. Tarik Skubal is great, but the Detroit Tigers are so irrelevant that there were trade rumors circling at the deadline. Corbin Burnes is good; the Baltimore Orioles will at least be in the playoffs, but is he as meaningful as Clase?
There’s no American League pitcher that means as much to their team as Clase means to the Guardians. The team has 71 wins. He’s closed 37 of those games.
The Guardians bullpen has been one of the best in baseball all season, and they had to be.
Ace Shane Bieber was ruled out for the season after just two starts. Triston McKenzie and Logan Allen were so bad as starters that they’re currently in AAA. Carlos Carrasco is 37, and the magic finally ran out. Veterans like Ben Lively, Alex Cobb and Matthew Boyd are now leaned on in a starting capacity to help the Guardians remain the best team in baseball.
What’s normally a dominant rotation in Cleveland has been anything but, and Clase has been more important than ever. He’s the MLB’s best closer on the best team in baseball. There’s your narrative.
While relievers like Pedro Avila and Cade Smith have been fun and important to the team’s success, Clase is the backbone. Opposing teams know they only have eight innings to defeat the Guardians. When Clase’s music plays and he emerges from the bullpen, you could stand up from your seat and plan your walk back to the car.
Clase wants to pitch every day, and while that might not be sustainable, his willingness to help the team win, paired with his electrifying 100-mph arsenal, has endeared him to baseball fans in Cleveland and beyond.
A closer hasn’t won the award since Eric Gagne in 2003. Clase needs to remain perfect to even be in the conversation. He’s +9000 on most major sportsbooks to take the award home, a major longshot.
But if he does stay perfect and the Guardians remain one of baseball’s top teams as the playoffs commence, there’s certainly at least a conversation to be had.
