Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase was the subject of MLB trade rumors for weeks leading up to last weekend. Now, days after being placed on paid leave due to a betting investigation, there seems to be a chance his major-league career could be over.
Guardians reporter Zack Meisel of The Athletic reported Friday that the lockers for Clase and teammate Luis Ortiz were cleared out in the Guardians' clubhouse. The moves came just hours after Meisel expressed on 92.3 The Fan his belief that the MLB careers of Clase and Ortiz are likely over.
"I have a hard time envisioning them ever pitching in Major League Baseball again, honestly. I don't want to speculate on what the investigation might end up proving or disproving but there was a player banned from baseball a year ago and it was much less than this…This is two pitchers who had the ball in their hand and if you can't trust that, there's not a spot for you…I have a really hard time picturing any scenario where they're back pitching."
In 2024, Tucupita Marcano received a lifetime ban from Major League Baseball after an investigation found he placed hundreds of bets on baseball games, including some involving the team he played for ( Pittsburgh Pirates ).
Emmanuel Clase contract ( Spotrac ):$4.9 million salary (2025), $6.4 million salary (2026), $10 million club options (2027-'28)
When Ortiz was placed under investigation on July 3, The Athletic reported that the Guardians' reliever was flagged for a higher-than-usual amount of bets placed on two specific pitches. The first occurred in the second inning against the Seattle Mariners on June 15, and the second was the first pitch in the third inning of a June 27 game versus the St. Louis Cardinals . In both cases, the pitches were well outside the strike zone. On July 18, MLB extended Ortiz's paid leave through August 31.
No details have emerged regarding the league's investigation into Clase, although ESPN's Jeff Passan reported that it is "tied into the investigation" involving Ortiz. Both pitchers remain on non-disciplinary paid leave through at least the end of August.
Emmanuel Clase stats ( ESPN ):3.23 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 47-12 K-BB in 47.1 innings pitched
Clase, age 27, is a three-time All-Star and has led the American League in saves for the last three seasons. The right-handed closer won the AL Reliever of the Year Award in 2022 and 2024.
While MLB players are permitted to bet on sports other than baseball, Rule 21(a) in the MLB rulebook states that any player or person connected with a club who "fails to give his best efforts towards the winning of any baseball game with which he is or may be in any way concerned" shall be declared permanently ineligible. If MLB's investigation finds that a pitcher intentionally threw a pitch to influence a prop bet, that would be a direct violation of Rule 21.
The NBA experienced a similar issue last year when forward Jontay Porter received a lifetime ban after an investigation found he disclosed confidential health information before a game, enabling a bettor to turn an $80,000 parlay bet into $1.1 million. Porter pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in July 2024.
MLB's investigation into Ortiz and Clase remains ongoing, with no timeline for resolution. Given that both players' lockers were cleared out, it is at least likely that neither will return this season.
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