Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase and his teammate, starting pitcher Luis Ortiz, were placed on “non-disciplinary paid leave” in July by Major League Baseball because of an ongoing gambling investigation. In August, Major League Baseball announced that both pitchers’ paid leave was being extended “until further notice.”
The 26-year-old Ortiz was the first to be put on leave by Major League Baseball after suspicious bets were found by a betting-integrity firm to have been placed on the first pitch of specific innings during his outings.
Shortly thereafter, 27-year-old Clase, a three-time All-Star, was placed on leave. It was less clear why he was being investigated, but what was revealed is that both he and Ortiz were being investigated by the Ohio Casino Control Commission.
On Monday, the Dominican Baseball League (LiDOM) announced that it will not allow Luis Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase to play in their winter league. According to De Ultimo Minuto, the Estrellas Orientales, who were expecting both pitchers to play for them, are evaluating the possibility of appealing the ruling.
That announcement was followed on Tuesday by Dominican MLB insider Hector Gomez reporting wrote on X (Twitter), “SOURCE: Emmanuel Clase will never pitch in MLB again. The gambling evidence found against him is irrefutable.”
According to Cleveland.com, Major League Baseball denied Gomez’s report and stated that its investigation was still ongoing.
As for the Cleveland Guardians, who were without one of their starting pitchers and one of the best closers in baseball for several months, but still made the playoffs this past season, they appear to be moving on from Clase and Ortiz.
“I think we have to,” Guardians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti told the Akron Beacon-Journal last week. “That’s the only thing we really can do is plan for that, and if we get [any new] information we would then think about how we reintegrate those guys into the organization. But for our planning purposes, I think we have to plan as if they won’t be here and then adjust if needed.”
Emmanuel Clase, who had been expected to be a big trade target this past summer, had 24 saves and a 3.23 ERA at the time of his being put on paid leave. His best season occurred in 2024 when he posted a 0.61 ERA with 47 saves – the third year in a row he surpassed the 40 save mark in a season.
Luis Ortiz, in his fourth year in the big leagues, was just 4-9 with a 4.36 ERA when he was put on leave. Those numbers were a significant drop-off from 2024 when he went 7-6 with a 3.32 ERA for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The post MLB Insider Reports ‘Gambling Evidence’ Against Guardians Closer Emmanuel Clase ‘Is Irrefutable’ appeared first on BroBible.
MLB Insider Reports ‘Gambling Evidence’ Against Guardians Closer Emmanuel Clase ‘Is Irrefutable’
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