Emmanuel Clase

Emmanuel Clase (born March 18, 1998) is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher for the Cleveland Guardians of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Texas Rangers. He made his MLB debut in 2019. Clase was traded to Cleveland following the 2019 season and became their main closer in 2021. With Cleveland, Clase has been named to three All-Star Games, has led the majors in saves twice, and was named AL Reliever of the Year in 2022.

San Diego Padres
Clase signed with the San Diego Padres as an international free agent on February 11, 2015, for a $125,000 signing bonus. He played for the DSL Padres in 2015, going 2–1 with a 1.99 ERA in 54 innings. In 2016 he played for the AZL Padres, going 2–0 with a 4.01 ERA in $24 2⁄3$ innings. In 2017 he played for the AZL Padres (2), going 2–4 with a 5.30 ERA in $35 2⁄3$ innings, and in one game with the Tri-City Dust Devils of the Low–A Northwest League, allowing 5 runs in $3 1⁄3$ innings.

Texas Rangers
On May 7, 2018, the Padres traded Clase to the Texas Rangers as the player to be named later in an earlier trade for Brett Nicholas. Clase was assigned to the Spokane Indians of the Low–A Northwest League, and finished the 2018 season after going 1–1 with a 0.64 ERA, 27 strikeouts, and 12 saves in $28 1⁄3$ innings. Clase was assigned to the Down East Wood Ducks of the High–A Carolina League to open the 2019 season. He appeared in 6 games for them, going 2–0 with a 0.00 ERA, 1 save, and 11 strikeouts in 7 innings. On April 23, he was promoted to the Frisco RoughRiders of the Double-A Texas League, and went 1–2 with a 3.35 ERA and 39 strikeouts over $37 2⁄3$ innings.

On August 2, 2019, the Rangers selected Clase's contract and promoted him to MLB. He made his MLB debut on August 4, pitching $1 2⁄3$ scoreless innings. Clase produced a 2–3 record with a 2.31 ERA and 21 strikeouts over $23 1/3$ innings in 2019. His cutter was on average the fastest in MLB, at 99.2 mph.

Cleveland Indians/Guardians
On December 15, 2019, the Rangers traded Clase and Delino DeShields Jr. to the Cleveland Indians in exchange for Corey Kluber and cash considerations. Kluber pitched one inning for the Rangers before injuring himself and later departing when the 2020 season ended. Clase was suspended for 80 games on May 1, 2020, after testing positive for Boldenone, a banned PED. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the shortening of the 2020 Major League Baseball season to 60 games, Clase's suspension was lifted at the conclusion of the shortened 2020 season.

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 named AL Reliever of the Month. In 2021, he was 4–5 with a 1.29 ERA in $69 2⁄3$ innings. He also compiled 24 saves in 29 opportunities.

On April 2, 2022, Clase agreed to a five-year $20 million extension with the Cleveland Guardians. In July 2022, Clase was named to his first career All-Star team. He pitched the ninth inning for the American League at Dodger Stadium and struck out the side to get the save and secure a 3–2 victory. In 2022, he was 3–4 with a 1.36 ERA in $72 2⁄3$ innings and led MLB in saves. He compiled 42 saves in 46 opportunities.

Clase was selected to his second All-Star team in 2023. In 2023, he was 3–9 with a 3.22 ERA in $72 2⁄3$ innings and led MLB in saves for the second year in a row. He complied 44 saves in 56 opportunities.

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.

Pitching style
Clase features an upper 90s/low 100s mph cut fastball and a low 90s slider.