Emmanuel Clase’s suspension just unlocked the perfect Reds trade opportunity

Cleveland Guardians pitcher Emmanuel Clase is in hot water. The former All-Star closer has been placed on non-disciplinary paid leave while the league investigates allegations of sports betting. Clase joins Luis Ortiz as the second Guardians pitcher this month to be sidelined while MLB conducts its gambling probe.

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (subscription required), Clase's suspension may alter the Guardians' trade deadline plans. Cleveland is now said to be fielding offers for outfielder Steven Kwan — the perfect trade deadline target for the Cincinnati Reds.

There've been rumors surrounding Kwan's availability for the past month, and teams like the San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays, and Philadelphia Phillies have all been linked to the Guardians All-Star. If the Reds aren't involved in those discussions, they should be now.

Emmanuel Clase’s suspension just unlocked the opportunity for the Reds to trade for Steven Kwan

Aside from being a left-handed bat, Kwan fits everything the Reds should be looking for at this year's trade deadline. The 27-year-old is a Gold Glove defender in the outfield, possesses above-average speed on the base paths, rarely strikes out, and is under team control through the 2027 season. Reds manager Terry Francona is also quite familiar with Kwan from their time in Cleveland together.

Kwan is a table-setter in every sense of the word. While he fails to produce much power (.411 slugging percentage), Kwan has elite bat-to-ball skills with an 8.4% strikeout rate and 9% whiff rate. He's also among the best in baseball in expected batting average and chase rate.

Kwan will not come cheap. It's not every day that a team is willing to sacrifice a two-time All-Star who plays elite-level defense and still has multiple years of team control remaining. If Reds fans balked the price tag for Eugenio Suárez, wait until you see the projected trade returns for Kwan.

Reds fans thought the notion of trading a prospect like Cam Collier or Sal Stewart in order to secure Suárez was ridiculous. But those are exactly the type of young players the Guardians will be seeking if they truly make Kwan available at the MLB trade deadline.

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