Why Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase should win AL Cy Young

No reliever has won the Cy Young Award since Eric Gagne in 2003. That should change this season as Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase has a fabulous case to win the award in the American League.

In winning that Cy Young with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Gagne had 55 saves, a 1.20 ERA and struck out 137 in 82.1 innings. Clase has similarly gaudy stats.

Entering play Monday, he has converted 38 of 41 save attempts, sports a 0.60 ERA and has 52 strikeouts in 60.1 innings. He hasn't blown a save since May 19. A three-month stretch without blowing a save is unheard of in today's game.

Not only does Clase boast all the incredible numbers, but he is almost always available for manager Stephen Vogt. Most closers pitch two days in a row at minimum, but not Clase.

From Aug. 10-13, Clase appeared in four straight games, converting saves in all four without allowing a run.

Additionally, Clase's cutter is one of the most unhittable pitches in the majors.

“It’s a version of [Mariano] Rivera, I think,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell recently told MLB.com , referencing the Hall of Fame reliever for the Yankees from 1995-2013. “It’s a cutter at really high velocities."

Clase is No. 1 in the ESPN Cy Young Predictor and, according to Fox Sports , he has the third-highest odds in the American League to win the award.

The competition for the award also includes Detroit Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal, who's 15-4 with a 2.58 ERA, and Baltimore Orioles right-hander Corbin Burnes, who is 12-6 with a 3.28 ERA. Both have put together solid seasons, but neither is as impressive as Clase.

Although relievers have won the Cy Young only nine times since the inception of the award in 1956, Clase is more deserving than any other pitcher in the American League.