Emmanuel Clase's betting investigation will skyrocket trade value for Royals All-Star

The start of trade deadline week saw the trade market take a huge hit after Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase was placed on leave amid a league sports-betting investigation.

Considering he's on paid leave until August 31, it all but eliminates him from trade talks just days away from Thursday evening's deadline.

This means the closer's market just got that much thinner, undoubtedly increasing the value of every name still potentially on the block.

This could include the Royals' All-Star closer Carlos Estévez, who's had his name thrown around in trade discussions over the past few weeks.

Royals' Carlos Estévez will only see trade value grow with Emmanuel Clase now off the market

Now, after acquiring a pair of bats in Adam Frazier and most notably Randal Grichuk and then pulling off a shocking mid-season extension for Seth Lugo - who was long considered to be one of the gems of the trade deadline - the Royals look to be in a position to push for the postseason.

Given the immense issues their pitching staff has had when it comes to health this year, I highly doubt J.J. Picollo and Co. are actively looking to trade away Estévez.

That being said, with how volatile relief pitching can traditionally be, if there's a situation where a team in desperate need of a marquee closer like Estévez is willing to overpay to get him, then if the Royals are truly "in the business in the business of getting better" - as Picollo referenced last week - they could very well entertain an offer of this nature. It may not make them better this season but a good return could make their longer-term future more sustainable.

Estévez is throwing to a 2.62 ERA this season, along with a 1.16 WHIP and .213 BAA. He's also the American co-leader in saves this season alongside Houston's Josh Hader with 27.

This isn't the first time this question of whether or not to entertain a trade for Estévez has come up, as after the closer's market saw it's first hit with the injury of Baltimore's Félix Bautista, names like Estévez would've seen a similar boost as their seeing now amid the Clase fiasco.

While the Royals' pitching staff is struggling to stay healthy of late, it should be know that it's primarily in the rotation, as the bullpen has actually received some positive injury news of late with the return of Hunter Harvey this past weekend along with Daniel Lynch IV nearing his return to the mix as his rehab assignment shifts to Triple-A.

With names like Lucas Erceg, along with others such as Harvey and Steven Cruz able to hold down late inning relief opportunities, it's not far-fetched to think that the Royals could not only survive but compete without Estévez, as good as he's been.

An All-Star reliever with multiple years left on his contract could be a hot-commodity that even a team like Kansas City, who have hopes of remaining contenders, might not be able to pass up the haul that he could fetch.