Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase has been placed on non-disciplinary paid leave until August 31st, as Major League Baseball (MLB) continues its investigation into sports betting activities. This decision was made in agreement with the MLB players Association.
The Guardians organization confirmed they were notified by MLB about Clase’s leave and pledged their full cooperation with the league’s inquiry. They also stated that no other players or club personnel are expected to be affected by this investigation. The team is currently unable to provide further comment due to the confidential nature of the ongoing process.
Clase, a three-time All-Star, has been a dominant force for the Guardians, leading the American League in saves for the past three seasons. This season, the 27-year-old pitcher has recorded a 3.23 ERA with 24 saves. He was previously a Cy Young finalist in 2024, boasting a remarkable 0.61 ERA and 47 saves over 74.1 innings pitched. His potential trade availability had been a topic of discussion leading up to the MLB trade deadline.
This advancement follows a similar situation with pitcher Michael Ortiz, who was placed on leave on July 3rd. MLB’s investigation into Ortiz began after unusual betting activity was detected on prop bets related to two of his pitches during games in June. A betting integrity firm flagged this activity, which was then reported to MLB.
The investigations into Clase and Ortiz occur a little over a year after MLB suspended several players for gambling violations. Notably, San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano received a lifetime ban for placing numerous bets on baseball games. Other players, including athletics pitcher Michael Kelly and minor leaguers Jay Groome, Ryne Nelson, and José Rodríguez, received one-year suspensions.Additionally, umpire Pat Hoberg was dismissed by MLB in February for sharing his legal sports gambling accounts with a friend who bet on baseball and for deleting relevant electronic messages during the league’s investigation.
