37 articles
CLE •
10 days ago
Passan adds that Ortiz was arrested earlier this weekend, while Clase is not currently in custody. The pair could face up to 65 years in prison if convicted on all charges, which include fraud, conspiracy, and bribery. Prosecutors allege that Ortiz was paid $5,000 for throwing an intentional ball June 15, with Clase receiving the same amount for facilitating it. The indictment also claims they repeated the scheme on June 27, earning $7,000 apiece. The pair of Guardians pitchers were placed on administrative leave in late July amid MLB’s ongoing sports-betting investigation and both appear highly unlikely to ever pitch in the majors again. A final decision on their status won’t come until the criminal proceedings play out. We’ll have updates on the developing situation as it unfolds.
Source: Jeff Passan
CLE •
10 days ago
Passan adds that Ortiz was arrested earlier this weekend while Clase is not currently in custody.
Source: Jeff Passan
CLE •
27 days ago
Clase is on non-disciplinary paid leave and will not be allowed to take part in the winter-ball festivities. He and Luis L. Ortiz are both being investigated for potential ties into sports-betting, and there’s no timetable for either to return to the mound at this point.
Source: Evan Drellich
CLE •
3 months ago
Clase and Ortiz were placed on leave in late July amid the league’s sports-betting investigation and are highly unlikely to pitch again this season. Both will also be ineligible for the postseason, as they won’t be active within Cleveland’s organization by September 1. A final resolution and potential disciplinary ruling should come before the start of next season. Given the circumstances, it’s fair to wonder if either has thrown his last pitch in the majors.
Source: Cleveland Guardians
CLE •
4 months ago
Passan reports that this is “tied into the investigation” involving Luis Ortiz. Obviously, this shuts down the possibility of a trade involving Clase. Cade Smith probably takes over as the favorite for saves in Cleveland and should be picked up everywhere, though it’s possible the Guardians, who might be more motivated to sell without Clase, could trade him prior to the deadline. Hunter Gaddis could also be in the mix for saves.
Source: Jeff Passan
CLE •
4 months ago
Passan reports that this is “tied into the investigation” involving Luis Ortiz. Obviously, this shuts down the possibility of a trade involving Clase. Cade Smith probably takes over as the favorite for saves in Cleveland and should be picked up everywhere, though it’s possible the Guardians, who might be more motivated to sell without Clase, could trade him prior to the deadline. Hunter Gaddis could also be in the mix for saves.
Source: Jeff Passan
CLE •
4 months ago
Clase threw 12 pitches in game two after using 15 in giving up a three-run homer in the first game. We imagine he’ll be down Sunday after this, potentially leading to a save chance for Cade Smith.
CLE •
4 months ago
In a bit of an oddity, all three runs were earned, since Clase picked off the automatic runner on second base. Unfortunately, that was the only out Clase recorded before giving up a homer to Jonathan India. With umpire Malachi Moore refusing to give him anything close, Clase walked Josh Rave before the pickoff and Luke Maile afterwards to set things up. Maybe Rave would have reached anyway, but it really looked like Maile’s ball four should have been strike three. It’s Clase’s fifth blown save and third loss. He had allowed just one homer all year and never more than two runs in an outing.
CLE •
4 months ago
Clase was tasked with protecting a one-run lead against the heart of Baltimore’s lineup and needed just 12 pitches to slam the door. He struck out Gunnar Henderson to open the frame before coaxing a harmless ground out from Ryan O’Hearn and whiffing Ramón Laureano to end it. The 27-year-old stopper has reeled off seven consecutive scoreless appearances and ranks third in the American League in the saves department.
CLE •
4 months ago
The one hit against him was a fly to shallow center that should have been caught. Clase has gone six straight appearances without allowing a run, and his ERA is a season-low 2.80.
CLE •
4 months ago
Clase’s save was his 21st of the season. The 27-year-old right-hander allowed one hit and struck out two batters to close out the ninth inning against the Athletics. Clase lowered his ERA to 2.86 in the process. While his numbers are acceptable, he’s not coming close to repeating the 0.61 ERA and 47 saves he had last year.
CLE •
4 months ago
Clase pitched a scoreless ninth inning to send the game to extra innings and then closed the White Sox out for the win in the 10th inning. The 27-year-old right-hander threw just 26 pitches to earn his fifth win of the year. He’ll take a 2.91 ERA into the All-Star break.
CLE •
4 months ago
Clase only made things mildly interesting, allowing a leadoff single to Chase Meidroth that brought the tying run to the plate, but he battled back to retire the next three hitters in order to end it. Clase has now made good on 20 of his first 24 save chances on the season while posting a 3.05 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and a 40/10 K/BB ratio across 41 1/3 innings.
CLE •
4 months ago
Clase is off the All-Star team for now, and unless something changes there, his streak of appearances will end at three. It’s probably not the worst thing for him, as he could use a break while being on pace to throw 70 innings yet again; he averaged 72 1/3 innings the last four years.
CLE •
5 months ago
Clase entered the game with a 1-0 lead in the ninth inning. The 27-year-old right-hander hit Spencer Torkelson to start the inning. Two batters later, with pinch runner Zack McKinstry on third base and two outs, Clase threw a wild pitch that allowed McKinstry to score and tie the game. The Tigers would go on to win in extra innings. It was a crushing loss for the Guardians, who might listen on trade offers for Clase ahead of the trade deadline. He’s been good enough over the past few seasons that Clase would likely remain in the closer’s role on a potential new team.
CLE •
5 months ago
Clase worked a scoreless ninth inning to keep the game at 0-0 heading to extra innings. He returned for the 10th though, where Michael Busch advanced the extra runner to third on a ground out to start the frame and Matt Shaw followed with a sacrifice fly that walked it off for the Cubs. The 27-year-old right-hander now sits at 4-1 on the season with a 3.19 ERA, cringe-inducing 1.42 WHIP and a 38/10 K/BB ratio over 37 1/3 innings on the season while converting 18 of his first 21 save chances.
CLE •
5 months ago
Clase gave up two hits and a walk before striking out Max Muncy and getting Lawrence Butler to ground out to end the game. Clase has certainly been better lately than he was at the beginning of the year, but he has given up 12 hits in his last 8 2/3 innings. He’s given up 40 hits and 10 walks in 33 2/3 innings for the season. Last year, he allowed 39 hits and 10 walks in 74 1/3 innings.
CLE •
5 months ago
Clase didn’t allow a hit, didn’t strike anyone out, and didn’t issue a walk. Boring, but effective. Clase has now saved 17 games in 2025, and his ERA dipped to 3.58 with the scoreless outing.
CLE •
5 months ago
Clase didn’t allow a hit, didn’t strike anyone out, and didn’t issue a walk. Boring, but effective. Clase has now saved 17 games in 2025, and his ERA dipped to 3.58 with the scoreless outing.
CLE •
5 months ago
Clase allowed one hit and picked up a strikeout without issuing a walk. The 27-year-old has not been nearly as dominant as he has been for the overwhelming majority of his career, but he still has been able to procure 16 saves in 2025 with a 34/9 K/BB ratio and far-from-abhorrent 3.69 ERA.
CLE •
5 months ago
Clase took the mound with a one-run lead in the bottom of the ninth for the save chance. He loaded the bases on two hits and a walk with two outs and got a clutch strikeout to end the game with his 15th save of the season.
CLE •
5 months ago
After entering with a one-run lead, Clase gave up a single and a walk to start the ninth. There was a successful sac bunt afterwards, which was followed by an intentional walk, a strikeout and another intentional walks. Jorge Polanco then won the game with a two-run single through the infield. It’s Clase’s third blown save, but it shouldn’t be taken as a sign that anything is wrong with the right-hander.
CLE •
5 months ago
It was not without drama. Clase allowed back-to-back one-out singles to Yainer Diaz and Jake Meyers before getting Cam Smith to fly out and Jake Melton to ground out to end the game. After a rough start to the season, Clase now has a 3.54 ERA and 14 saves on the season.
CLE •
6 months ago
Clase was given a two-run lead to work with in the ninth for the save chance. He needed ten pitches to close out the game with his 12th save of the season. After struggling to start the season, the 27-year-old right-hander allowed just one run across 10 2/3 innings in May.
CLE •
6 months ago
Clase was making his first appearance in four days after giving up two runs (one being an automatic runner) to the Tigers last time out. This proved to be an easy one, as Clase struck out one and retired the side on 10 pitches.
CLE •
7 months ago
All three balls in play against Clase were hit hard, with one falling for a single. The right-hander struck out the other batter he faced. Clase has allowed two runs — one earned — over six innings in six appearances since his Apr. 20 blown save and subsequent shoulder scare.
CLE •
7 months ago
It was Clase’s seventh save of the season, and he’s now firmly back in the closer’s role. Clase’s one run was unearned because he bobbled a slow comebacker off the bat of Andres Gimenez and then threw it into right field. Gimenez would later come around to score on a sac fly by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. On the night, Clase got five whiffs on 13 swings and threw 16 of his 25 pitches for strikes. It was a solid overall performance.
CLE •
7 months ago
Clase took over in the ninth to close out the game after Cleveland took a two-run lead in the top of the inning. He induced two groundouts and a pop out to end the game with his sixth save of the season and second in a row.
CLE •
7 months ago
Clase got the call to protect a three-run lead in the final frame after Cade Smith recorded the final two outs of the seventh and managed to hang on for his first save since April 19. He struck out Carlos Correa and Ty France in addition to giving up singles to Trevor Larnach and Ryan Jeffers, which put the tying run to the plate with two outs. He uncorked a wild pitch, which brought home a run, before striking out Kody Clemens on a 100.3-mph cutter to end it. It’s safe to say that Clase is definitely back in the closing mix for Cleveland until further notice.