Guardians Exec Delivers Strong Statement on Struggling Star

Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase has not been good this season. There really is no other way to slice it.

Through eight appearances, Clase has allowed six runs on 15 hits over eight innings of work, posting an alarming 2.000 WHIP. And for reference, the 27-year-old has already surrendered more runs this year than he did all of 2024.

Clase's rocky start has Guardians fans worried, especially considering how mortal he looked in the playoffs last October.

However, Cleveland president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti has given Clase a vote of confidence amid growing buzz that the Guardians should remove him from the closer role.

"I can't think of anyone else we'd rather continue to hand the ball to in the eighth or ninth inning when we have a lead," Antonetti said on MLB Network.

Clase did finally look alright in Cleveland's win over the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday night, pitching a scoreless ninth in a 6-3 victory. He did allow a baserunner, but thankfully, he did not permit any runs to cross the plate.

The right-hander broke into the big leagues with the Texas Rangers in 2019 and was traded to the Guardians that ensuing offseason in a deal that sent Corey Kluber back to the Rangers.

After missing all of 2020 due to a PED suspension, Clase made his Cleveland debut in 2021 and immediately flashed his talent, logging a 1.29 ERA. He then proceeded to lead the major leagues in saves the next two years and has paced the American League in that category for the past three.

Last season, Clase registered a minuscule 0.61 ERA and 0.659 WHIP, which actually resulted in him finishing third in AL Cy Young voting.

We'll see if the Dominican native can recapture his dominance as the 2025 campaign progresses.

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