Guardians '100 percent' behind Clase as closer's struggles continue

CLEVELAND -- Emmanuel Clase has had an uncharacteristic start to the 2025 season, but his status as the Guardians’ closer is unchanged: He’s the guy.

“100 percent,” manager Stephen Vogt said. “I haven’t even had the thought [of replacing him].”

Clase entered Monday’s series opener against the Yankees with a 7.84 ERA and a 2.23 WHIP in 11 appearances. He’s allowed at least one run in five of his appearances and, in total, he’s surrendered nine on 20 hits and three walks over 10 1/3 innings.

Last season, when Clase posted a 0.61 ERA, he surrendered just five earned runs in 74 1/3 innings over 74 appearances. More than one thing can be true, of course. It’s unfair to expect anyone to do what Clase did last season year over year. He’s also getting hit in the early going this season.

“Emmanuel Clase has been the best closer in this game for a number of years now,” Vogt said. “He’s getting hit. He’s leaving the ball over the middle more than he should. But that doesn’t mean that he’s not the closer.

“He’s still the best closer on the planet. There’s some things that we’re going to continue to work with him on. But Emmanuel Clase is going to get the ball in the ninth when he’s available.”

After pitching on Friday, Saturday and Sunday in Pittsburgh, Clase was not available for Monday’s series opener against the Yankees. The 27-year-old -- who led the American League in saves each of the past three seasons -- threw just 15 pitches total over 1 1/3 scoreless innings across the first two outings of last weekend's series.

He suffered his second blown save of the 2025 season on Sunday. Clase allowed three runs on four hits and one walk in the ninth inning against the Pirates, but he got out of the inning with a 4-4 tie intact. Cleveland won 5-4 in 10 innings. Here’s how the inning unfolded:

- Enmanuel Valdez leadoff walk (seven-pitch plate appearance)
- Tommy Pham double (103.9 mph exit velocity)
- Adam Frazier double (76.1 mph EV)
- Isiah Kiner-Falefa lineout
- Ke’Bryan Hayes single (79.1 mph EV)
- Bryan Reynolds single, deflected off of Clase (80.4 mph EV)
- Andrew McCutchen 6-4-3 double play

Pham and Frazier’s doubles each were off pitches left over the middle of the plate.

“I think the stuff quality continues to be exceptional,” Guardians president Chris Antonetti said when asked about Clase’s start to the season ahead of Sunday's game.

“The combination of maybe a little bit of bad luck -- like in batting average on balls in play -- I think is unsustainably high. And then there's probably some things just with pitch location and plan of attack that we continue to engage Emmanuel on that could lead him to get back to the results that we've seen him have in the past.”

Clase’s batting average on balls in play this season is .487, up from .197 last year. That suggests he’s due for some positive regression. He also noted last homestand he and the Guardians have been working on the shape of his slider, as it was looking similar in profile to his cutter.

Clase’s velocity remains strong -- his cutter is averaging 98.9 mph this season, which is comparable to his 2024 average (99.5 mph). The Guardians are confident that his track record and the work he continues to put in will lead to improved results.

“He had one of the best seasons ever for a closer last year,” Antonetti added. “So I think it's probably unfair to expect anyone to go out and repeat that level of performance -- no matter who they are. This is a really tough league to succeed, and I know, at times, Emmanuel may have made it look easy last year.

“But we certainly understand that's not the norm. Now, that said, we continue to believe that he's one of the best pitchers in all of baseball, and we think he'll perform that way for the balance of the season.”