On Monday, Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase was placed on non-disciplinary paid leave as part of a Major League Baseball investigation into sports betting. He is the second Guardians pitcher placed on leave as the league investigates gambling this month. Right-hander Luis Ortiz has been on leave since July 3.
“Per an agreement with the MLBPA, Cleveland Guardians pitcher Emmanuel Clase has been placed on non-disciplinary paid leave through games on August 31st while MLB continues its sports betting investigation,” MLB said in its statement. “We will not comment further until the investigation has been completed.”
Clase, 27, has been one of the game’s most dominant closers the last few years. He’s having what qualifies as a down season this year, pitching to a 3.23 ERA and going 24 for 29 in save chances. That includes giving up a walk-off three-run home run against the Kansas City Royals on Saturday. A year ago, Clase had a 0.61 ERA and went 47 for 50 in save chances.
While we wait for the details to trickle in and MLB’s investigation to play out, here’s a look at the ripple effects of Clase’s leave on the Guardians on the field, and potentially the league itself.
Clase is off the trade market
It goes without saying that Clase is no longer a trade candidate leading up to Thursday’s 6 p.m. ET deadline. His name, along with several other Guardians’ relievers, had popped up in rumors the last few weeks. Rule 21 says, “Any player, umpire or club or league official or employee, who shall bet any sum whatsoever upon any baseball game in connection with which the bettor has a duty to perform, shall be declared permanently ineligible.” If a suspension is handed down, never mind a lifetime ban, it will further impact Clase’s trade value in the future. We’ll see what the investigation reveals. For now, cross Clase off your trade deadline shopping list. He’s on leave until Aug. 31.
Reliever demand always outweighs supply at the trade deadline, and with Clase off the market, teams with relievers to trade can seek that much more in return. This includes the Minnesota Twins with Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax, the Pittsburgh Pirates with David Bednar and Dennis Santana, the St. Louis Cardinals with Ryan Helsley and Phil Maton, and others. With one fewer top reliever available, the bidding for other top relievers will be much more fierce.
Cleveland’s path to contention got much harder
Entering play Monday, the Guardians are 52-53 and 3 ½ games behind the third wild-card spot with three teams ahead of them. Not an insurmountable deficit by any means, but it is an uphill climb. When you’re chasing three teams, chances are at least one of them will win each night. Cleveland has 57 games to make up ground and may need all 57 to do it.
Needless to say, closing the gap and securing a postseason berth will be much more difficult without Clase, who is still a shutdown closer even while having a down year. The Guardians average only 3.84 runs scored per game, fifth fewest in baseball. They play a lot — A LOT — of close games. A stacked bullpen is a necessity and now that bullpen is a little less stacked.
Cleveland was already on the buy/sell bubble leading up to the trade deadline. Clase’s leave could push them over into the seller’s bucket. Controllable relievers like Cade Smith and Hunter Gaddis would fetch a nice return. Erstwhile ace Shane Bieber is working his way back from Tommy John surgery and could be made available as well.
MLB has another major gambling scandal
This is not baseball’s first major gambling scandal — the 1919 Black Sox and Pete Rose happened — and it’s not even the league’s first major gambling scandal since New Jersey became the first state to legalize sports betting in 2018. Ippei Mizuhara, longtime interpreter to Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, stole millions from Ohtani and was sentenced to 57 months in prison. Ohtani was a victim, not a co-conspirator, but surely when the news first broke, a chill went down MLB’s spine.
Cleveland’s statement on Clase’s leave said that no other players or club personnel are expected to be impacted by the investigation, but it’s unclear if his probe is related or tied to Ortiz’s. Regardless, whether it’s one investigation involving two players or two separate investigations, this is a black mark for the league, especially with a star player like Clase involved. This was also inevitable. Sports betting is legal in 39 states as well as well as Puerto Rico and Washington DC, and you don’t have to do anything more than pick up your phone to place bets. It has never been more accessible.
MLB’s partnerships with sports betting outlets is not to blame for gambling scandals the same way the league’s partnerships with alcohol sponsors doesn’t make them liable for a player getting arrested for driving under the influence. Partnering with sports gambling outs looks bad, but ultimately the players are responsible for their actions. Rule 21 is posted clearly in every clubhouse.
Last year, San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano was given a lifetime ban for betting on baseball. Four others — Athletics righty Michael Kelly, Padres lefty Jay Groome, Philadelphia Phillies infielder José Rodriguez, and Arizona Diamondbacks lefty Andrew Saalfrank — were given one-year suspensions for betting on game not involving their teams. Now Clase and Ortiz are being investigated.
Players are free to bet on non-diamond sports (i.e. not baseball or softball) as long as it is legal in their area. Bet on baseball though, and the consequences are laid out. Betting on games involving your team results in a lifetime ban (Mizuhara was given a lifetime ban in addition to his legal trouble). Betting on games not involving your team results in a one-year suspension.
With sports betting being so accessible, it is inevitable more players will bet on baseball, even if they only place small bets not involving their team. Gambling is an addiction and the sheer number of players — 1,200 on 40-man rosters plus over 4,500 in the minors — means more investigations and suspensions are coming. This is baseball in the legalized sports betting era.
This news was originally published on this post .
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