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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/cleveland-cavaliers/cavs-news-kenny-atkinson-stephen-vogt-cleveland-guardians');   ga('set', 'title', 'Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson leaning on Stephen Vogt, Cleveland Guardians amid ‘dip’');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Kenny-Atkinson-leaning-on-Stephen-Vogt-Cleveland-Guardians-amid-dip.jpg"></figure><h1>Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson leaning on Stephen Vogt, Cleveland Guardians amid ‘dip’</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-19T21:44:20-08:00">December 19th, 9:44pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-19T22:28:10-08:00">December 19th, 10:28pm</time><address><a href="https://spindavies.myportfolio.com/home">Spencer Davies</a>Spencer Davies has covered the NBA and the Cleveland Cavaliers as a credentialed reporter for over a decade. His work has appeared on Basketball News, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher Report, USA Today, FOX Sports, HoopsHype, CloseUp360, FanSided, and Basketball Insiders, among others. In addition to his journalistic experience, he has been a senior editor, a digital production assistant, a social media manager, a sports radio anchor, and a producer.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Cleveland Cavaliers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson doesn’t have to look far for advice with his <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/cleveland-cavaliers/donovan-mitchell-jarrett-allen-urge-cavs-stick-with-it-testing-rut">team going through the wringer</a>. Before Friday night’s 136-125 loss to the Chicago Bulls, the wine and gold’s third straight and fourth in the last five games, Atkinson shared that he got in touch with Stephen Vogt via text and members of the Cleveland Guardians to get their perspective on handling a long season.</p><p>“I think they had two streaks where they lost 10 in a row,” Atkinson said. “I know baseball’s got a ton of games, but I was like, ‘How did you keep it together?’ This is just part of pro sports. It’s hard to win in professional sports. When we go through the dip, you’ve got to manage it. You’ve got to trust your group. I don’t think there’s ever a point where you’re like, ‘Forget it, this is a disaster.’</p><p>The Guardians, of course, were treading water in the American League’s Central Division and behind the Detroit Tigers by a whopping 15.5 games in July. With a 20-7 record in September, Cleveland rallied to win the Central and punch its ticket to the MLB Playoffs.</p><p>“I have a great relationship with them. I text with [Cleveland Browns head coach] [Kevin] Stefanski [too]. We’re living in the same world. We go through a lot of the same things, so I love interacting with them. They’ve been to our facility. We’re at their facility. We exchange ideas. I love that part of the job.”</p><p>Atkinson said that even when the Cavs were 15-0 just a year ago, he had concerns and had <a href="https://www.nba.com/cavaliers/news/recap-chicle-251219" rel="noopener">appropriate fear of every opponent</a>. He emphasizes the need to double down on the group’s processes, especially since the coaches and players have had success in the past.</p><p>“Well I don’t want to lost 20 in a row or 10 in a row,” Atkinson joked. “But it just gives you [perspective]. We’re living in this world where it’s not easy. Everyone in pro sports is so good, and organizations are really good. I call it ‘the dip.’ You’ve got to manage the dip. It’s really important.</p><p>“Very rare does [the season] just go [on an upward trajectory]. Maybe OKC this year; that’s one team in this league. Maybe Houston, I guess. Two, three teams that maybe are just really there right now. Everybody else, we’re going through the ups and downs; kinda normal in an NBA season.”</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/cleveland-cavaliers/darius-garland-jarrett-allen-pinpoint-reason-cavs-inconsistencies">Cavs are 15-14 now</a> with games against the Charlotte Hornets and New Orleans up next on a back-to-back, followed by a Christmas Day matchup on the road against the New York Knicks.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson leaning on Stephen Vogt, Cleveland Guardians amid ‘dip’

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/mlb-stories/mlb-rumors-will-guardians-trade-for-cardinals-brendan-donovan');   ga('set', 'title', 'MLB rumors: Will Guardians trade for Cardinals’ Brendan Donovan?');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Brendan-Donovan-2.jpg"><figcaption>David Frerker-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>MLB rumors: Will Guardians trade for Cardinals’ Brendan Donovan?</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-19T11:28:39-08:00">December 19th, 11:28am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-19T11:30:02-08:00">December 19th, 11:30am</time><address><a>Zachary Weinberger</a>Zachary Weinberger joined ClutchPoints in October 2023 as a Miami Heat reporter as well as an Associate Editor. He graduated from Florida Atlantic University in 2022 after covering the school's athletic programs since his freshman year at the FAU University Press, where he was a Sports Editor and Editor-in-Chief. He then covered FAU Sports for The Palm Beach Post.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Cleveland Guardians</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>As <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/mlb-stories/mlb-rumors-cardinals-hold-1-of-mlbs-most-popular-trade-targets">St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan is a popular name</a> in the trade market for the MLB, one team that could be in the mix for him is the Cleveland Guardians. Though there are <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/st-louis-cardinals/cardinals-rumors-mariners-giants-favorites-land-brendan-donovan">reported favorites to land the Cardinals player in Donovan</a>, the latest reporting details the potential interest the Guardians have in the 28-year-old.</p><p>In the latest show of “Foul Territory,” former All-Star Jason Kipnis was speaking to Cleveland beat reporter Paul Hoynes, where they touched on the Guardians’ plan for the offseason. Kipnis would speak about the rumors of Cleveland and St. Louis having discussions, <a href="https://x.com/FoulTerritoryTV/status/2001784539811815563" rel="noopener">with the former player asking</a> if Donovan’s name has been mentioned, which Hoynes said it has, though he emphasizes how the Guardians are looking at the market.</p><p>“Yeah, that name has come up,” Hoynes said. “But again, you know, when we’ve talked, when we’ve asked about that, you know, they say they do not want to bring in, you know, a free agent on a two or three-year deal to block the path of a young, developing player that they’ve invested in. So, you know, I think eventually they’ll make a deal, they’ll add a hitter to this lineup at some point. But I don’t think it’s going to be a high-profile guy, even maybe a mid-level guy. I just get that impression.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">The Guardians don't want to sign a free agent to a two/three-year deal because it would block the development of younger players, says <a href="https://twitter.com/hoynsie?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Hoynsie</a>.</p><p>"They'll add a hitter at some point, but I don't think it's gonna be a high-profile guy, or maybe even a mid-level guy." <a href="https://t.co/PMzUAS9FBv">pic.twitter.com/PMzUAS9FBv</a></p><p>— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) <a href="https://twitter.com/FoulTerritoryTV/status/2001784539811815563?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>At any rate, it remains to be seen if Cleveland will be an active team going after Donovan after he hit a .287 batting average to go along with 10 home runs and 50 RBIs. Per reporting from The Athletic, the Seattle Mariners and the San Francisco Giants <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6887340/2025/12/13/mariners-giants-brendan-donovan-trade-partner/" rel="noopener">“emerged as front-runners”</a> for Donovan, “with the Cardinals looking to land multiple top prospects.”</p><p>St. Louis last season finished with a 78-84 record, fourth in the NL Central.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

MLB rumors: Will Guardians trade for Cardinals’ Brendan Donovan?

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/mlb-stories/mlb-rumors-guardians-receiving-a-lot-of-calls-for-steven-kwan-trade');   ga('set', 'title', 'MLB rumors: Guardians receiving ‘a lot of calls’ for Steven Kwan trade');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Oct-2-2025-Cleveland-Ohio-USA-Cleveland-Guardians-outfielder-Steven-Kwan-38-celebrates-1.jpg"><figcaption>© Ken Blaze-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>MLB rumors: Guardians receiving ‘a lot of calls’ for Steven Kwan trade</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-19T11:06:49-08:00">December 19th, 11:06am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-19T11:06:49-08:00">December 19th, 11:06am</time><address><a>Zachary Weinberger</a>Zachary Weinberger joined ClutchPoints in October 2023 as a Miami Heat reporter as well as an Associate Editor. He graduated from Florida Atlantic University in 2022 after covering the school's athletic programs since his freshman year at the FAU University Press, where he was a Sports Editor and Editor-in-Chief. He then covered FAU Sports for The Palm Beach Post.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Cleveland Guardians</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>With the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/cleveland-guardians/guardians-rumors-steven-kwan-trade-rumors">Cleveland Guardians surrounded by rumors</a> this offseason in regards to players the team could be acquiring or sending out, one of those stars that has been capturing headlines is Steven Kwan. As the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/new-york-yankees/mlb-rumors-yankees-trade-guardians-steven-kwan">rumors around Kwan and the Guardians</a> will continue, the latest reporting details the interest the rest of the league has in the star left fielder.</p><p>On the show “Foul Territory,” former All-Star Jason Kipnis was speaking to Cleveland beat writer Paul Hoynes about the team when Kwan was mentioned by the reporter. He would go on to say that the Guardians have been<a href="https://x.com/FoulTerritoryTV/status/2001784539811815563" rel="noopener"> “getting a lot of calls on,”</a> as teams came after him around the last MLB trade deadline.</p><p>Hoynes would make a point to say that he expects Kwan to be the starting left fielder for the team, though there “could be more activity at the deadline.”</p><p>“I guess the big name out there is Stephen Kwan, that’s the name they’re getting a lot of calls on,” Hoynes said. “That’s, you know, the one player that people want. They came after him at the deadline last season, this winter, it’s been the same, but I get the impression that he’s going to be the opening day left fielder for Cleveland on March 26.”</p><p>“Depending on how the season goes, there could be more activity at the deadline, because he’s only got two years of control left,” Hoynes continued. “So, as you know, they usually, if he hasn’t signed an extension by now, that usually means, one way or the other, he’s going to be leaving Cleveland and then probably within the next two years.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">The Guardians don't want to sign a free agent to a two/three-year deal because it would block the development of younger players, says <a href="https://twitter.com/hoynsie?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Hoynsie</a>.</p><p>"They'll add a hitter at some point, but I don't think it's gonna be a high-profile guy, or maybe even a mid-level guy." <a href="https://t.co/PMzUAS9FBv">pic.twitter.com/PMzUAS9FBv</a></p><p>— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) <a href="https://twitter.com/FoulTerritoryTV/status/2001784539811815563?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>It remains to be seen if Kwan gets dealt by Cleveland after the 28-year-old hit a .272 batting average with 11 home runs and 56 RBIs last season.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

MLB rumors: Guardians receiving ‘a lot of calls’ for Steven Kwan trade

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/cleveland-guardians/guardians-news-emmanuel-clase-mlb-gambling-allegations');   ga('set', 'title', 'Why Emmanuel Clase was ‘reprimanded’ by MLB even before gambling allegations were known');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Emmanuel-Clase-2.jpg"><figcaption>David Richard-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Why Emmanuel Clase was ‘reprimanded’ by MLB even before gambling allegations were known</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-19T10:32:47-08:00">December 19th, 10:32am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-19T10:32:47-08:00">December 19th, 10:32am</time><address><a>Zachary Draves</a>Zachary Draves is a sportswriter and broadcaster based in the Quad Cities of Illinois and Iowa. Zachary covers a variety of different sports as well as sports history, sport and society, and sport and culture. He is also a professor of sociology.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Cleveland Guardians</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>In November, Cleveland Guardians pitcher Emmanuel Clase <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/cleveland-guardians/guardians-news-emmanuel-clases-lawyer-issues-strong-statement-pitchers-indictment" rel="noopener">was indicted by federal prosecutors</a> in the MLB betting scandal. Later, he <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/cleveland-guardians/guardians-news-emmanuel-clase-arrested-gambling-scandal" rel="noopener">was arrested at JFK Airport</a>. </p><p>Now, details <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6901487/2025/12/19/mlb-emmanuel-ortiz-cell-phone-betting-caught/?source=emp_shared_article" rel="noopener">are emerging</a> to explain why Clase was reprimanded before his alleged involvement was known, per Evan Drellich and Zack Meisel of The Athletic. Clase had used his personal cell phone during the investigation. </p><p>“The Athletic has learned that MLB reprimanded Clase for impermissible cell phone use at least once before knowledge of the gambling issues came to light, according to two people briefed on his situation who were not authorized to speak publicly on the subject.”</p><p>“With limited exceptions for personal use … MLB rules also prohibited MLB players from utilizing cellular telephones during MLB games,” prosecutors wrote.</p><p>Overall, Clase is charged with conspiring with gamblers to fix pitches during games. In return, over $400,000 in winnings were allegedly accumulated. Clase, along with teammate Luis Ortiz, is charged with wire fraud and bribery. </p><p>The investigation also revealed that Clase had provided money and non-public information to bettors dating back to 2023. Ortiz joined the scheme this year. </p><p>Both Clase and Ortiz have pleaded not guilty. </p><h2><b>2025 was the year gambling in sports took an ugly turn</b></h2><p>When all is said and done, 2025 will go down in history as the year when sports betting took on a whole new dimension. It started with the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/nba-news-teams-fbi-found-bet-on-gambling-probe" rel="noopener">FBI probe into illegal gambling activities in the NBA</a>. </p><p>Prominent figures, including Chauncey Billups and Terry Rozier, were <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-news-chauncey-billups-arrested-terry-rozier-fbi-sports-gambling-probe" rel="noopener">indicted on similar federal charges</a>. Sports and gambling have always gone hand in hand, especially in the baseball world. </p><p>The most well-known cases of gambling included the 1919 Black Sox Scandal, in which eight Chicago White Sox players were accused of conspiring with gamblers to throw the World Series. Then, there was the lifetime banishment of Pete Rose in 1989 after he later admitted to betting on games. </p><p>But 2025 alone has led to even greater scrutiny over the sanctity of the games. </p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Why Emmanuel Clase was ‘reprimanded’ by MLB even before gambling allegations were known

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/cleveland-guardians/guardians-news-cleveland-inks-reliever-strong-season-rangers');   ga('set', 'title', 'Guardians ink reliever after strong season with Rangers');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Cleveland-Guardians.jpg"><figcaption>James A. Pittman-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Guardians ink reliever after strong season with Rangers</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-18T16:21:48-08:00">December 18th, 4:21pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-18T19:23:40-08:00">December 18th, 7:23pm</time><address><a>Abdullah Imran</a>Abdullah Imran works as an Associate Editor for All Sports at ClutchPoints. He’s been a sports fan his entire life and enjoys writing about every sport. He has spent three years in sports journalism and loves analyzing games. In his free time, he very much enjoys binge-watching shows and playing video games.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Cleveland Guardians</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Cleveland Guardians re-signed right-handed reliever Shawn Armstrong on Thursday to <a href="https://x.com/JeffPassan/status/2001766904029950312" rel="noopener">a one-year contract</a> worth $5.5 million, which includes a mutual option for 2027, per ESPN’s Jeff Passan. The signing reunites Armstrong with the organization that selected him in the 18th round of the 2011 MLB Draft out of East Carolina University.</p><p>Armstrong, now 35, is coming off a strong relief season with the Texas Rangers in 2025. He appeared in 71 games and worked 74 innings, finishing with a 2.31 ERA. Among pitchers who threw at least 50 innings, Armstrong ranked second in WHIP at 0.81 and third in opponents’ batting average at .157. Only Aroldis Chapman and Mason Miller finished ahead of him in either category. All the deeper numbers checked out as well, including a 3.07 FIP, a 2.96–2.98 expected ERA range, and a 3.36 SIERA. Armstrong struck out 74 batters while issuing just 20 walks, producing a 26.1% strikeout rate and a 7% walk rate. He also saved nine games and recorded 12 holds for Texas, despite spending most of his career in a middle-relief role.</p><p>Opposing hitters found it hard to pick Armstrong up as he rotated between a four-seam fastball, cutter, sinker, and sweeper, each making up around 20% to 30% of his arsenal. No pitch allowed a batting average higher than .188 or a slugging percentage above .343. Right-handed hitters batted .113 against him last season, while left-handers hit .234.</p><p>Since 2019, he has thrown 363 1/3 innings with a 3.96 ERA, a 24.6% strikeout rate, and a 7.8% walk rate, while keeping his walk rate below 9.2% in six consecutive seasons. As of the start of 2023, he has allowed home runs to just 5.9% of batters faced, one of the lowest rates in the majors.</p><p>Cleveland’s bullpen was one of the best in baseball in 2025, finishing with a 3.44 ERA that ranked third in MLB. However, with All-Star closer <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/cleveland-guardians/guardians-news-emmanuel-clase-released-600000-bond-pleading-not-guilty">Emmanuel Clase under investigation for gambling-related issues</a> and unlikely to play next season, Armstrong’s addition becomes even more crucial. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/cleveland-guardians/guardians-news-cleveland-picks-up-depth-reliever-blue-jays-trade">The Guardians have supplemented the relief corps by adding Justin Bruihl</a>, Colin Holderman, Connor Brogdon, and Rule 5 selection Peyton Pallette, but Armstrong is the most significant financial commitment of the offseason and the highest-profile addition.</p><p>Originally pitching for Cleveland from 2015 to 2017 before being traded to the Seattle Mariners for international bonus pool money, Armstrong has since played for eight MLB teams, including the Baltimore Orioles, Tampa Bay Rays, Miami Marlins, St. Louis Cardinals, and Chicago Cubs. He owns a career record of 15–11 with a 3.82 ERA in 370 appearances, over 421 innings with 434 strikeouts and 140 walks.</p><p>Now back in the city where he got his start, Armstrong will likely take on a big role as the Guardians rebuild their bullpen for 2026.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Guardians ink reliever after strong season with Rangers

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/new-york-yankees/mlb-rumors-yankees-trade-guardians-steven-kwan');   ga('set', 'title', 'MLB rumors: Will Yankees trade for Guardians’ Steven Kwan if they strikeout on Kyle Tucker, Cody Bellinger?');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Steven-Kwan-hits-a-single-against-the-Tigers.jpg"><figcaption>Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>MLB rumors: Will Yankees trade for Guardians’ Steven Kwan if they strikeout on Kyle Tucker, Cody Bellinger?</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-18T06:59:58-08:00">December 18th, 6:59am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-18T07:04:48-08:00">December 18th, 7:04am</time><address><a href="https://www.facebook.com/joey.mistretta/" rel="facebook">Joey Mistretta</a>Joey Mistretta is a Dallas Mavericks beat reporter, Dallas Wings beat reporter and lead MLB editor for ClutchPoints. He is originally from Lake Arrowhead, California. Mistretta graduated from Biola University with a degree in broadcast journalism.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Cleveland Guardians</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Cleveland Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan was mentioned as a trade candidate ahead of the 2025 July trade deadline. A deal ultimately did not come to fruition, and Kwan helped the Guardians shock the Detroit Tigers and win the American League Central. The Tigers later got their revenge in the playoffs and sent the Guards home. Since the offseason began, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/cleveland-guardians/guardians-rumors-steven-kwan-trade-rumors">trade rumors around Kwan have been fairly quiet</a>, but the New York <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/new-york-yankees/perfect-trade-offer-yankees-must-offer-guardians-for-steven-kwan">Yankees are a team that has been mentioned as a possible suitor</a>.</p><p>During an episode of Talkin’ Yanks in early December, Jomboy and Talkin’ Jake <a href="https://x.com/TalkinYanks/status/1996970602293493826" rel="noopener">discussed the idea</a> of Kwan possibly being a fallback option for the Yankees if they fail to sign Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger. Kwan would make sense for the Yankees — a team that needs better defense and Kwan is a Gold Glove caliber outfielder.</p><p>However, Kwan has not been mentioned in trade rumors for the most part in recent weeks. Perhaps that is a result of Tucker and Bellinger still being available in free agency. Teams such as the Yankees may pivot to contacting the Guardians about Kwan after the aforementioned outfielders sign.</p><p>Kwan, 28, still has two years of team control remaining on his current contract (arbitration eligible in both 2026 and 2027). The Guardians, despite falling short in the postseason, are fresh off an AL Central division title. Cleveland has been mostly quiet so far this offseason, but the ball club proved it could compete at a high level with its current core of players.</p><p>Additionally, Steven Vogt has earned back-to-back AL Manager of the Year Awards — not bad for a guy in his first manager job who had the daunting task of replacing a legend in Terry Francona.</p><p>The Guardians may not want to trade Kwan. Will the Yankees reach out if they don’t sign Tucker or Bellinger (which is unlikely in all reality)? Probably, as he would be a good fit in New York as mentioned. With that being said, the lack of trade rumors around Kwan suggest there is a realistic chance that he will remain in Cleveland in 2026.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

MLB rumors: Will Yankees trade for Guardians’ Steven Kwan if they strikeout on Kyle Tucker, Cody Bellinger?

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/cleveland-guardians/guardians-news-cleveland-picks-up-depth-reliever-blue-jays-trade');   ga('set', 'title', 'Guardians picks up depth reliever in Blue Jays trade');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Justin-Bruihl-makes-a-picth-for-the-Jays.jpg"><figcaption>© Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Guardians picks up depth reliever in Blue Jays trade</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-17T13:32:02-08:00">December 17th, 1:32pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-17T13:32:02-08:00">December 17th, 1:32pm</time><address><a>RB Hayek</a>RB Hayek has been writing about sports for over a decade and is currently a member of ClutchPoints' editorial team after primarily focusing on betting content. In addition, he is also a published author of thriller novels, available on Amazon.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Cleveland Guardians</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/cleveland-guardians/guardians-sign-former-dodgers-angels-bullpen-arm">Cleveland Guardians’ bullpen will see new faces</a> this coming season, as the team has been making some small changes. Now, they have made a trade, as they acquired Justin Bruihl in <a href="https://x.com/Feinsand/status/2001394469111747028" rel="noopener">a trade</a> with the Blue Jays that will bolster their pen, according to MLB beat writer Mark Feisand.</p><p>“The Guardians have acquired LHP Justin Bruihl from the Blue Jays in exchange for cash and designated 1B/OF Jhonkensy Noel for assignment,” Feinsand wrote on X.</p><p>With <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/cleveland-guardians/guardians-news-emmanuel-clase-released-600000-bond-pleading-not-guilty">Emmanuel Clase suspended indefinitely</a>, the Guardians have been slowly rebuilding the pieces of their bullpen. While the addition of Bruihl does not indicate a game-changer, it still helps add some depth. In addition to this trade, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/cleveland-guardians/guardians-news-cleveland-inks-intriguing-reliever-1-5-million-deal">Guardians already added a veteran reliever</a>. Despite the loss of Clase, Cleveland is still in a good position to bolster another strong bullpen.</p><p>Bruihl had 15 appearances for the Jays in 2025, going 0-0 with a 5.27 ERA and 18 strikeouts. In his only appearance in the playoffs, he lasted just 1/3 of an inning in the American League Divisional Series while allowing two earned runs. The Jays designated him for assignment before eventually trading him.</p><p>The Guardians will use the relievers they collect to try to remain competitive. After making it to the playoffs for the third time in four seasons, expectations are high in Cleveland. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/cleveland-guardians/guardians-news-stephen-vogt-repeats-as-al-manager-of-the-year">Stephen Vogt has navigated the rough waters</a> while leading the Guardians to regular-season success. However, postseason success has continually eluded him.</p><p>The Guardians faced the Detroit Tigers in the American League Wild Card. Ultimately, they fell in three games, ending another strong season with disappointment. The decision to make this trade for Bruihl gives the young pitcher a fresh start while adding another arm to the Guardians’ bullpen. Vogt will analyze all options before deciding the value of the roles for each pitcher, especially as the 2026 season is just a few months away.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Guardians picks up depth reliever in Blue Jays trade

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/cleveland-guardians/guardians-perfect-trade-offer-for-phillies-nick-castellanos');   ga('set', 'title', 'Guardians’ perfect trade offer for Phillies’ Nick Castellanos');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Guardians-perfect-trade-offer-for-Phillies-Nick-Castellanos.jpg"></figure><h1>Guardians’ perfect trade offer for Phillies’ Nick Castellanos</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-17T09:29:45-08:00">December 17th, 9:29am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-17T10:56:02-08:00">December 17th, 10:56am</time><address><a>Garrett Kerman</a>Garrett Kerman also goes by the name of The Fight Analyst. He covers all combat sports, from MMA, to boxing, to even bare-knuckle. He is also very well-versed in all American sports when it comes to news and betting analysis. Whether you want betting advice or some breaking news, Garrett is your guy.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Cleveland Guardians</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Philadelphia Phillies remain in a perplexing state of contradiction—they possess one of baseball’s most talented rosters yet continue searching for complementary pieces that could elevate them to championship contention. Among their current roster,<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/philadelphia-phillies/phillies-rumors-club-begging-castellanos-trade-offseason"> Nick Castellanos represents an intriguing trade candidate</a>, particularly for a team like the Cleveland Guardians that could bolster their outfield depth while maintaining organizational flexibility. The Guardians, fresh off a divisional title, possess the farm system depth and roster talent to construct an equitable offer that addresses Philadelphia’s needs without crippling their future.</p><h2>The Trade Framework for Nick Castellanos</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Nick-Castellanos.jpg?w=1024"><figcaption>Denis Poroy-Imagn Images.</figcaption></figure><p>The fundamental principle behind this proposed trade centers on delivering immediate MLB production paired with high-ceiling prospects capable of developing into impact players. The Guardians would be surrendering meaningful assets, but structured intelligently to avoid overpaying for a player entering his age-34 season. This framework respects both organizations’ positions while providing the Phillies with viable pathways to enhance their roster construction.</p><p><b>Phillies Receive:</b></p><ul><li>1B Kyle Manzardo</li><li>SS Angel Genao</li><li>OF Chase DeLauter</li></ul><p>Guardians Receive:</p><ul><li>OF Nick Castellanos</li></ul><h2>Why This Works for Cleveland</h2><p>The Cleveland organization would be making a calculated move to acquire established outfield production and stability. Manzardo, despite his strong 2025 campaign featuring 27 home runs and 70 RBIs in his first full season, remains a DH-heavy player whose defensive limitations create uncertainty about his long-term positional stability. Pairing his departure with two elite prospects—one already showing Triple-A readiness—allows Cleveland to invest in future organizational depth while maintaining competitive balance on the field.</p><p>Castellanos brings veteran leadership and established production to a Guardians lineup that consistently ranks among baseball’s least efficient offensive units. His defensive experience across multiple outfield positions provides managerial flexibility that the Guardians currently lack. Additionally, his proven ability to maintain consistency over extended seasons aligns with Cleveland’s organizational philosophy of sustainable, predictable performance.</p><h2>Why This Works for Philadelphia</h2><p>The Philadelphia front office receives immediate returns on a prospect-heavy organization. Manzardo represents controllable, cost-effective production at first base where the Phillies have rotated through suboptimal options. His age and trajectory suggest years of productive output ahead, addressing a critical organizational need without necessitating long-term expensive free-agency commitments. The addition of two top-tier prospects—including Chase DeLauter, whose pedigree remains exceptional despite injury complications—offers Philadelphia tangible paths toward future rotation depth and positional flexibility.</p><p>Angel Genao particularly appeals to Phillies management given his elite contact rates and strike-zone awareness. His ability to impact the game defensively combined with modest offensive projection creates a safety net should offensive production regress. DeLauter’s raw power metrics and disciplined approach at the plate provide the upside Philadelphia covets when constructing prospect capital. For a franchise perpetually competing with robust payrolls, acquiring controllable minor-league talent with legitimate major-league trajectories represents significant organizational value.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Guardians’ perfect trade offer for Phillies’ Nick Castellanos

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/cleveland-guardians/guardians-news-jose-ramirez-playing-world-baseball-classic');   ga('set', 'title', 'Is Guardians’ Jose Ramirez playing in World Baseball Classic?');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Guardians-star-Jose-Ramirez-vs-Tigers.jpg"><figcaption>Ken Blaze-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Is Guardians’ Jose Ramirez playing in World Baseball Classic?</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-12T12:16:36-08:00">December 12th, 12:16pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-12T13:37:19-08:00">December 12th, 1:37pm</time><address><a>Yasmin Edañol</a>Yasmin D.G. Edañol is a PhD candidate in Chemistry at the University of the Philippines Diliman, with a background in scientific research and publishing. He brings a data-driven perspective to sports storytelling as an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints, with a focus on the NBA. Whether it's breaking down a clutch play or a stat line, he believes every great moment has a deeper layer waiting to be uncovered.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Cleveland Guardians</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Manny Machado’s <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/san-diego-padres/padres-news-manny-machado-big-world-baseball-classic-move">intention to play in the World Baseball Classic</a> immediately energized Dominican Republic baseball and sent ripples across the league. The announcement reopened conversations about <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/los-angeles-dodgers/dodgers-news-will-yoshinobu-yamamoto-roki-sasaki-shohei-ohtani-team-japan-wbc">which stars could follow him onto the 2026 stage</a>. Guardians star Jose Ramirez, as <a href="https://x.com/Shawn_Spradling/status/1999555470097293330" rel="noopener">noted</a> by baseball reporter Shawn Spradling, has already expressed his plan to suit up after missing the 2023 tournament due to injury rehab, adding another defining chapter to the J-Rams’ legacy and keeping the Guardians firmly in the spotlight.</p><p>The timing lands heavily in Cleveland. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/cleveland-guardians/guardians-news-jose-ramirez-mvp-history-3rd-place-2025">Guardians rode grit and swagger to another division crown</a>, only to exit early in the Wild Card round. The finish felt proud yet unfinished. Ramirez mirrored that tension all season. He delivered elite production again and finished top three in the AL MVP race. Again. Four top-three finishes. Zero trophies. Since 1931, no player has carried that mix of sustained dominance and near-misses quite like him.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/cleveland-guardians/10-greatest-guardians-players-all-time-ranked">Night after night, the Guardians felt his pull</a>. Ramirez sparked rallies when innings stalled. He steadied the dugout when pressure climbed. His 2025 stat line spoke clearly: .283/.360/.503, 30 home runs, 85 RBIs, and 44 stolen bases. Loud impact. Quiet authority. The kind that defines a Guardians’ cornerstone without demanding the spotlight.</p><h2><b>What the World Baseball Classic means for the Guardians’ star</b></h2><p>That authority now points toward a global stage. The Dominican Republic roster shaping up for the World Baseball Classic looks stacked at every turn. The Guardians star could share the infield with Machado, Elly De La Cruz, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Ketel Marte, and more. The outfield could feature Juan Soto, Fernando Tatis Jr., and Julio Rodriguez. Albert Pujols is set to manage the group. Under those lights, the stakes rise fast.</p><p>Awards still shape legacies. They always have. But baseball also remembers moments that stretch beyond ballots. Big games. National colors. Pressure that feels different. If Jose Ramirez finally steps onto the World Baseball Classic stage at full strength, could that stage deliver the defining moment his Guardians career still feels destined to claim?</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Is Guardians’ Jose Ramirez playing in World Baseball Classic?

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/cleveland-guardians/guardians-news-stephen-vogt-signed-contract-2024');   ga('set', 'title', 'Guardians’ Stephen Vogt signed multi-year contract extension after 2024 season — and nobody knew until now');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Stephen-Vogt.jpg"><figcaption>Jerome Miron-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Guardians’ Stephen Vogt signed multi-year contract extension after 2024 season — and nobody knew until now</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-12T08:29:46-08:00">December 12th, 8:29am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-12T08:29:46-08:00">December 12th, 8:29am</time><address><a href="https://www.facebook.com/joey.mistretta/" rel="facebook">Joey Mistretta</a>Joey Mistretta is a Dallas Mavericks beat reporter, Dallas Wings beat reporter and lead MLB editor for ClutchPoints. He is originally from Lake Arrowhead, California. Mistretta graduated from Biola University with a degree in broadcast journalism.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Cleveland Guardians</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Stephen Vogt landed the Cleveland Guardians manager job ahead of the 2024 MLB season. Replacing a legend in Terry Francona was always going to be a difficult task, but Vogt was clearly ready for the challenge. He has since led Cleveland to back-to-back playoff appearances, as the Guardians won 92 games in 2024 and 88 in 2025. According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, Vogt <a href="https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/47277019/mlb-offseason-2025-manager-salaries-pat-murphy-stephen-vogt" rel="noopener">signed</a> a contract extension after the 2024 campaign — a deal that was not made public until sources recently told ESPN.</p><p>“He (Vogt) signed a new multiyear contract with the Guardians following the 2024 season that was never made public, sources told ESPN,” Passan wrote in an article for ESPN.</p><p>After that 2024 season, Vogt was also named the American League Manager of the Year — quite the accomplishment for a first-time skipper. The Guardians clearly appreciated what Vogt did for the franchise given the contract extension. In 2025, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/cleveland-guardians/guardians-news-stephen-vogt-repeats-as-al-manager-of-the-year">Vogt was once again selected as the AL Manager of the Year</a>.</p><p>While has remained humble and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/cleveland-guardians/guardians-news-stephen-vogt-manager-of-the-year">credited the Guardians organization</a>, there is no question that the former MLB All-Star has a feel for this manager thing. He has made the necessary adjustments over the past couple of years and has done a terrific job of placing his players in positions for success.</p><p>The Guardians, a small-market ball club, have emerged as a consistent contender under Vogt. Francona led Cleveland to multiple postseason appearances during his time leading the way, and Vogt is picking up where Francona left off.</p><p>It seems as if Stephen Vogt may be the Guardians manager for years to come as well.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Guardians’ Stephen Vogt signed multi-year contract extension after 2024 season — and nobody knew until now

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/cleveland-guardians/guardians-news-cleveland-inks-intriguing-reliever-1-5-million-deal');   ga('set', 'title', 'Guardians ink intriguing reliever to $1.5 million deal');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Stephen-Vogt-1.jpg"><figcaption>Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Guardians ink intriguing reliever to $1.5 million deal</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-11T14:21:54-08:00">December 11th, 2:21pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-11T14:21:54-08:00">December 11th, 2:21pm</time><address><a>Dan Fappiano</a>Dan Fappiano is a Connecticut-based sports journalist with over five years of professional experience. After graduating from Central Connecticut State University with a bachelor's degree in journalism, he has covered every sport from fencing to football in the online and print medium. Dan hopes to see his beloved Bears win a Super Bowl someday.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Cleveland Guardians</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/cleveland-guardians/guardians-news-cleveland-15-5-game-comeback-steal-al-central-tigers">Cleveland Guardians have reached the playoffs</a> three out of the last four seasons. As they look to go on another postseason run, the Guardians have made an addition to their bullpen.</p><p>Cleveland <a href="https://x.com/ZackMeisel/status/1999224610777112669" rel="noopener">has signed</a> right-hander Colin Holderman to a one-year contract, via Zack Meisel of The Athletic. He will make $1.5 million.</p><p>Holderman is coming to the Guardians after spending the last four seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates. In that frame, the righty put up a 4.39 ERA and a 138/68 K/BB ratio. But for any good he did in Pittsburgh, Holderman is coming off of a tough 2025 campaign.</p><p>Over his 24 appearances, the 30-year-old registered a 7.01 ERA and a 18/16 K/BB ratio. Holderman did battle knee and thumb injuries throughout the campaign, which undoubtedly affected his performance. Still, the Pirates decided to designate him for assignment before the season was over.</p><p>The Guardians are taking a gamble on Holderman to bounce-back post injury. He looked solid during both the 2023 and 2024 campaigns. In 2023, he had a 3.86 ERA and 58/20 K/BB ratio. Holderman followed that up by posting a 3.16 ERA and a 56/25 K/BB ratio in 2024.</p><p>Cleveland’s bullpen ranked third in MLB with a 3.44 ERA. There are set to be massive changes to the back end <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/cleveland-guardians/guardians-news-emmanuel-clase-arrested-gambling-scandal">in the wake of Emmanuel Clase’s gambling controversy</a>. But if the Guardians want to be competitive again come 2026, they’ll need their bullpen to remain one of their strengths.</p><p>Holderman won’t take Cleveland to the top on his own. But he is a sensible addition as the Guardians look for a spark. At only $1.5 million, the franchise didn’t need to break the bank. And if Holderman is able to return to his pre-2025 form, the Guardians will have found a diamond in the rough.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Guardians ink intriguing reliever to $1.5 million deal

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/new-york-yankees/perfect-trade-offer-yankees-must-offer-guardians-for-steven-kwan');   ga('set', 'title', 'Perfect trade offer Yankees must offer Guardians for Steven Kwan');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Perfect-trade-offer-Yankees-must-offer-Guardians-for-Steven-Kwan.jpg?w=1024"></figure><h1>Perfect trade offer Yankees must offer Guardians for Steven Kwan</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-05T15:13:41-08:00">December 5th, 3:13pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-05T15:13:41-08:00">December 5th, 3:13pm</time><address><a href="https://linktr.ee/jordan.llanes">Jordan Llanes</a>Jordan Llanes is a sports writer and reporter based in Florida. In addition to ClutchPoints, he writes for a few other publications covering the NFL, college sports and Tottenham Hotspur. When he's not writing, Jordan enjoys spending time with his fiancée, cats, family and friends, as well as catching the latest TV shows and movies, and traveling.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Cleveland Guardians</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>For a franchise that possesses 27 World Series titles, it’s been a while since the New York <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/new-york-yankees/yankees-news-derek-jeters-2-word-response-first-world-series-appearance-15-years">Yankees have captured championship gold.</a> The last time the Yankees were victorious in the Fall Classic, they defeated the Philadelphia Phillies in six games back in 2009. This year’s loss to the Toronto Blue Jays in the AL Division Series (ALDS) was yet another disappointing ending for a team that prides itself on the number of titles it has captured throughout the club’s history.</p><p>There are a few holes that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/new-york-yankees/yankees-news-brian-cashman-absent-gm-meetings">Yankees GM Brian Cashman</a> and the front office need to address. Most notably, the potential loss of outfielder Cody Bellinger in free agency leaves a hole in left field. While the hope is that Jasson Dominguez continues his development and claims that spot, Cashman would surely like to hedge his bets.</p><p>While re-signing Bellinger or inking another free agent, like star outfielder Kyle Tucker, could be an expensive proposition, trading for a replacement could be wiser. There are several avenues in which Cashman can <a href="https://www.si.com/mlb/yankees/onsi/news/new-york-yankees-new-trade-option-all-star-outfielder-steven-kwan" rel="noopener">explore the left field spot.</a> However, one idea that has gained a lot of traction since first suggested a few weeks ago would be Cleveland <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/new-york-yankees/yankees-rumors-jomboy-steven-kwan-trade-makes-sense">Guardians left fielder Steven Kwan.</a> Luckily for the Yankees, they have a player who could be offered in a straight one-for-one swap. That player? None other than top outfield prospect Spencer Jones. Would that be enough to bring Cleveland to the table?</p><h2><b>Spencer Jones could unlock multiple trades for the Yankees</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Yankees-prospect-Spencer-Jones.jpg"><figcaption>Mandatory Credit: © Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/new-york-yankees/mlb-rumors-kyle-tucker-yankees-cody-bellinger-backup-plan">Yankees’ lineup really only has</a> one true hole: in left field, where Bellinger once roamed. Furthermore, they could use a prototypical leadoff hitter. A bat that will consistently get on base and give three-time AL MVP Aaron Judge a chance to knock in more runs. Kwan would serve that purpose and more for New York.</p><p>Kwan is slated to hit arbitration once again this winter. At 28 years old, he’s scheduled <a href="https://www.spotrac.com/mlb/player/_/id/26196/steven-kwan" rel="noopener">to hit the open market</a> after the 2027 season, as his arbitration years would be done. While the Guardians could lock him in with an extension, he’s likely to prove too expensive for the current owners’ wallets. If that’s the case, don’t be surprised to see Cleveland GM Mike Chernoff and the front office to consider trading their leadoff hitter.</p><p>Despite the fact that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/cleveland-guardians/guardians-rumors-steven-kwan-trade-rumors">Kwan is only a couple years</a> from the open market, the Guardians won’t move him for peanuts. It would cost a pretty penny for the Yankees, or any other team, to pick him up. Luckily, a piece like Jones could be a major part of a return for Kwan. The center fielder shot through New York’s minor-league system, finishing the season in Triple-A.</p><p>While his strikeout totals are a bit concerning, an organization like the Guardians could certainly help the towering outfielder change those tendencies. If <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/new-york-yankees/yankees-news-spencer-jones-prove-2026">Cashman decided to trade Jones,</a> plus another piece, like a pitcher such as Harrison Cohen or Thatcher Hurd, that could be enough to bring Kwan into the fold. Would it be worth parting with those pieces for the Yankees? If they hope to get back to the World Series, they need to try and bring Kwan aboard, whatever it takes.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Perfect trade offer Yankees must offer Guardians for Steven Kwan

Logan
Allen

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2025 SEASON STATS
IP	ERA	K	WHIP	WINS
57	1.90	19	1.05	1

2025 SEASON STATS
IP	ERA	K	WHIP	WINS
57	1.90	19	1.05	1

Logan Allen

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Logan
Allen