| Emmanuel Clase | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Clase with theCleveland Guardians in 2023 | |
| Cleveland Guardians – No. 48 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1998-03-18)March 18, 1998 (age 27) Río San Juan, Dominican Republic | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| August 4, 2019, for the Texas Rangers | |
| MLB statistics (through 2025 season) | |
| Win–loss record | 21–26 |
| Earned run average | 1.88 |
| Strikeouts | 349 |
| Saves | 182 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Emmanuel Clase (Spanish pronunciation:[’klase];[1] born March 18, 1998) is a Dominican professionalbaseballpitcher for theCleveland Guardians ofMajor League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for theTexas Rangers, making his debut with the team in 2019.
Clase was traded to Cleveland following the 2019 season and became their maincloser in 2021. With Cleveland, Clase has been named anAll-Star and led theAmerican League insaves three times, was namedAL Reliever of the Year in 2022 and 2024, and is the franchise's all-time save leader.[2]
Since July 2025, Clase has been on non-disciplinary paid leave as part of an investigation into sports betting by the league. In November, he was federally indicted and arrested in relation to the investigation.[3]
Clase signed with theSan Diego Padres as an internationalfree agent on February 11, 2015, for a $125,000signing bonus.[4] He played for theDSL Padres in 2015, going 2–1 with a 1.99 ERA in 54 innings. In 2016 he played for theAZL Padres, going 2–0 with a 4.01 ERA in24+2⁄3 innings. In 2017 he played for theAZL Padres (2), going 2–4 with a 5.30 ERA in35+2⁄3 innings, and in one game with theTri-City Dust Devils of theLow–ANorthwest League, allowing 5 runs in3+1⁄3 innings.[4]
On May 7, 2018, the Padres traded Clase to theTexas Rangers as theplayer to be named later in an earlier trade forBrett Nicholas.[5] Clase was assigned to theSpokane Indians of theLow–ANorthwest League, and finished the 2018 season after going 1–1 with a 0.64 ERA, 27 strikeouts, and 12 saves in28+1⁄3 innings.[4] Clase was assigned to theDown East Wood Ducks of theHigh–ACarolina League to open the 2019 season.[6] He appeared in 6 games for them, going 2–0 with a 0.00 ERA, 1 save, and 11 strikeouts in 7 innings.[4] On April 23, he was promoted to theFrisco RoughRiders of theDouble-ATexas League, and went 1–2 with a 3.35 ERA and 39 strikeouts over37+2⁄3 innings.[7][4]
On August 2, 2019, the Rangers selected Clase's contract and promoted him to MLB.[8][9] He made his MLB debut on August 4, pitching1+2⁄3 scoreless innings.[10] Clase produced a 2–3 record with a 2.31 ERA and 21 strikeouts over23+1⁄3 innings in 2019.[11] Hiscutter was on average the fastest in MLB, at 99.2 miles per hour (159.6 km/h).[12]
On December 15, 2019, the Rangers traded Clase andDelino DeShields Jr. to theCleveland Indians in exchange forCorey Kluber and cash considerations.[13] Clase was suspended for 80 games on May 1, 2020, after testing positive forBoldenone, a bannedPED.[14] Due to theCOVID-19 pandemic and the shortening of the2020 Major League Baseball season to 60 games, Clase's suspension was lifted at the conclusion of the shortened 2020 season.[citation needed]
Clase returned to the Indians' bullpen for the 2021 season. After converting all six save opportunities in August and holding opposing batters to a .095 average, he was namedAL Reliever of the Month.[15] In 2021, he was 4–5 with a 1.29 ERA in69+2⁄3 innings. He also compiled 24 saves in 29 opportunities.[16]
On April 2, 2022, Clase agreed to a five-year $20 million extension with theCleveland Guardians.[17] In July 2022, Clase was named to his first career All-Star team. He pitched the ninth inning for the American League atDodger Stadium and struck out the side to get the save and secure a 3–2 victory.[18] In 2022, he was 3–4 with a 1.36 ERA in72+2⁄3 innings and led MLB in saves. He compiled 42 saves in 46 opportunities.[19]
In 2023, Clase was 3–9 with a 3.22 ERA in72+2⁄3 innings and led MLB in saves for the second year in a row. He compiled 44 saves in 56 opportunities.[20]
In July 2024, Clase was named to his third career All-Star team. He threw a scoreless ninth inning for the American League to get the save and secure a 5–3 victory.[21] On August 30, Clase recorded his 150th save for Cleveland, passingCody Allen to become the franchise's all-time save leader.[2]
In Game 2 of the2024 ALDS, Clase gave up a game-winning three-run home run in the ninth inning toDetroit Tigers sluggerKerry Carpenter. The home run marked the first time Clase had given up a run since August 30, and it was just the third home run he had allowed in the 2024 season.[22] Clase recorded saves in games 4 and 5 that won the series, with the latter being the first six-out save of his Major League career.[23] In Game 3 of the2024 ALCS, Clase gave up back-to-back home runs in the top of the 8th inning toNew York Yankees sluggersAaron Judge followed byGiancarlo Stanton. In Game 4, with the game tied in the 9th inning, Clase gave up two more runs as his postseason ERA ballooned to 10.29, compared to his 0.61 ERA in 74 games during the regular season.[24] Following the conclusion of the season, Clase was named AL Reliever of the Year for the second time in his career.[25]
In 2025, he was 5–3 with a 3.23 ERA in47+1⁄3 innings. He also compiled 24 saves in 29 opportunities.[26]
On July 28, 2025, Clase was placed on non-disciplinary paid leave as part of an investigation by the league into sports betting.[27] Clase did not pitch again that season. Following the end of the season, he attempted to join theEstrellas Orientales of theDominican Professional Baseball League (LIDOM). However, because the gambling investigation was active, LIDOM did not allow him to play.[28]
On November 9, 2025, federal prosecutors from theUnited States District Court for the Eastern District of New York indicted Clase and teammateLuis Ortiz on charges including wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery, and money laundering conspiracy. The indictment alleges that Clase and Ortiz "agreed in advance with their co-conspirators to throw specific types of pitches and speeds of pitches", and the co-conspirators then used the information to place bets.[29]
On November 13, 2025, Clase was arrested atJFK Airport in New York City byFBI agents.[30][3] Hours later, he was arraigned in aBrooklyn federal court, entering a plea of not guilty.[3][30]
Clase features an upper 90s/low 100s mphcut fastball and a low 90sslider.[31][32] He has demonstrated an exceptional ability to control his pitches despite throwing at such a high velocity, averaging just 1.6 walks per 9 innings as of September 17, 2024.[4]