Guardians lose 8-6 to the Rockies on July 29 after Emmanuel Clase is sidelined by an MLB probe. A Bo Naylor homer wasn't enough as the bullpen collapsed.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
Some days in baseball are just brutal, and for the Cleveland Guardians, Tuesday was a perfect storm of disaster. The gut-punch news of All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase being placed on leave amid an MLB sports betting investigation was followed by a gut-wrenching on-field collapse, as the bullpen immediately faltered in his absence, handing the Colorado Rockies an 8-6 victory.
The Guardians surrendered four runs in the top of the ninth, with newly-minted closer Cade Smith recording only one out.
The bombshell dropped hours before first pitch: Emmanuel Clase, the anchor of the Guardians' bullpen, was placed on non-disciplinary paid leave. The move is part of an ongoing MLB investigation into sports betting, leaving the team and fans in stunned disbelief. With Clase expected to be out until at least August 31, the club was forced into an immediate and unenviable scramble, thrusting Cade Smith into the closer's role and recalling lefty Tim Herrin from Triple-A Columbus to plug a massive hole.
For a moment, it looked like the Guardians might overcome the day's turmoil. Bo Naylor blasted a go-ahead, three-run pinch-hit homer in the seventh, injecting life into Progressive Field and giving Cleveland a 6-4 lead. But the optimism was short-lived. The ninth inning, Clase's old territory, became a house of horrors. The Rockies sent 10 batters to the plate against Cade Smith and Tim Herrin. Smith, in his first save opportunity, allowed four runs (one earned) while recording just a single out. A go-ahead single by former Guardian Tyler Freeman was the final dagger in a catastrophic inning that showcased just how much this team will miss its All-Star closer.
Manager Stephen Vogt now faces the monumental task of rebuilding his late-inning strategy on the fly. Cade Smith's disastrous debut as closer raises immediate questions, but the team has few other options. The newly recalled Tim Herrin will be a key left-handed piece, but his 22 walks in the majors this season are a major concern. The pressure now intensifies on Kolby Allard, who has been solid with a 2.83 ERA, and Zak Kent to take on higher-leverage situations. The bullpen, once a source of strength, is now the team's biggest question mark.
With Clase sidelined until at least the end of August and the team now 9 games behind the Tigers, Tuesday felt like a turning point for all the wrong reasons. The Guardians must now navigate a brutal stretch without their most reliable weapon, hoping a patchwork bullpen can hold the line. The pressure is on, and the margin for error has vanished.
