Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase’s locker was empty the day after the MLB trade deadline, but not for the reason many expected this time last week.
With both Clase and teammate Luis Ortiz on paid leave amid an investigation into gambling allegations, the Guardians cleared out their lockers before Friday’s game, according to The Athletic’s Zack Meisel.
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While no reason for the change was provided, it’s notable given that the Guardians have already played multiple home games since Clase was sidelined on Monday. Ortiz has also been on leave since July 3. Both players have reportedly had their leave extended through at least Aug. 31.
It’s possible something has changed behind the scenes, or maybe Cleveland just wanted to keep them out of mind in the clubhouse. Regardless, it’s not the best omen for fans hoping to see either player again this season.
Clase was placed on leave at a bad time for the Guardians
Clase loomed as one of the biggest prizes at the trade deadline, which saw a fervent market for relievers. Athletics closer Mason Miller, Minnesota Twins closer Jhoan Duran and Pittsburgh Pirates closer David Bednar were all traded for significant hauls, and Clase might have commanded a larger return than any of them.
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With his future uncertain, Cleveland was instead forced to hold onto Clase. With a 54-54 record and long playoff odds, the team did trade away former Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber and veteran reliever Paul Sewald.
Clase is a three-time MLB All-Star and has accrued 181 saves in five seasons with the Guardians, with a career 1.88 ERA. He is under contract for the 2026 season with a salary of $6.4 million, plus two $10 million team options for 2027 and 2028. He was previously banned for the shortened 2020 season after testing positive for Boldenone, a banned performance-enhancing drug.
What’s happening with Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz?
The allegations against Clase remain unclear, with the Guardians only saying his leave was in connection to MLB’s sports betting investigation.
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More details are available for Ortiz, who had two of his pitches from June flagged for suspicious bets. The first came on June 15, when someone bet an unusual amount of money on Ortiz to throw a ball or hit a batter with his first pitch of the second inning (yes, you can do that). The pitch in question ended up in the dirt.
On June 27, there was also allegedly suspicious activity on Ortiz’s first pitch of the third inning, which ended up multiple feet outside the zone.
MLB is currently investigating both players and it could be a while before any decision is made. The situation has become notable enough that Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has called for the Ohio Casino Control Commission to remove these kinds of prop bets from the state’s sportsbooks.
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We have seen similar incidents in other sports, most notably the NBA’s Jontay Porter scandal that saw the former Toronto Raptors forward banned from the league for life and plead guilty to a felony charge of wire fraud.
If it’s true that either Guardians player did something similar, they would also face a lifetime ban under Rule 21 of the MLB rulebook.
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