Cleveland Guardians Face Closer Emmanuel Clase’s Struggles Ahead of Yankees Matchup

PITTSBURGH — The Cleveland Guardians are still holding onto their faith in closer Emmanuel Clase, despite a turbulent outing on Sunday, April 20, 2025, during a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. The Guardians secured a 5-4 victory in a tense 10-inning affair, but not without a dramatic ninth-inning collapse from Clase, who allowed three runs after entering with a comfortable 4-1 lead.

In recent seasons, Clase has been a dominant force in the bullpen, saving 47 games in 50 chances last year alone. However, this season has been a different story. Following 11 appearances, he holds a 3-0 record but a troubling 7.84 ERA, having allowed nine earned runs and 20 hits in just 20 1/3 innings pitched. Opponents are hitting an astonishing .426 against him, showcasing a stark contrast to his previous seasons.

Manager Stephen Vogt expressed concern over Clase’s performance, noting, ‘He’s throwing too many pitches over the middle of the plate.’ Pitching coach Carl Willis advised that Clase should utilize his slider more effectively and aim for higher pitches in the strike zone. Catcher Austin Hedges, who remains one of Clase’s staunchest supporters, mentioned that teams are developing effective game plans to exploit his weaknesses.

On Sunday, Clase struggled as he threw 30 pitches in the ninth inning, with 20 (67%) landing for strikes. The Pirates capitalized on his mistakes after a leadoff walk, with Tommy Pham and Adam Frazier hitting doubles that narrowed the lead to 4-3. Ke’Bryan Hayes then tied the game with an RBI single, forcing the Guardians into extra innings.

Despite the chaos, the Guardians managed to pull off the win in the 10th inning, thanks to Kyle Manzardo’s sacrifice fly and a stellar performance from rookie Joey Cantillo, who earned his first career save. Remarkably, Clase was credited with the win, despite his underwhelming contribution. Left fielder Steven Kwan commented, ‘Clase has closed out so many games for us. He’s going to have these kinds of days. He’s still our dawg. He’s still our guy. We have the utmost confidence in him.’

As the Guardians prepare for a 10-game homestand against the New York Yankees starting on Monday, April 21, 2025, they are faced with pondering how best to utilize Clase moving forward. The Yankees, who bested the Guardians in the ALCS last year, will test Clase’s mettle. While the absence of Juan Soto and the injury to Giancarlo Stanton may ease some pressure, Aaron Judge remains a formidable presence.

Statistically, Clase’s performance this season has raised eyebrows. He holds a 2.23 WHIP and a 9:3 strikeout-to-walk ratio across 10.1 innings pitched. His BABIP (batting average on balls in play) stands at a staggering .487, a substantial increase from the .195 he posted last season. These figures suggest that his struggles are not solely a result of bad luck, as there are also fundamental issues requiring attention.

Chris Antonetti, Guardians president of baseball operations, remarked, ‘The quality of Clase’s stuff continues to be exceptional. It’s a combination of a little bit of bad luck and some things like pitch selection that we can continue to engage Emmanuel on, which could lead him to the results we’ve seen in the past.’

In his previous three seasons, Clase exceeded 40 saves each year, and even posted an impressive 0.61 ERA in 2024. However, this season marks a significant departure from that level of performance. The Guardians now face the challenge of supporting him in reclaiming his form before the season slips away.

With a critical stretch of games approaching, the question looms: Can Clase turn things around and reclaim his status as one of the league’s elite closers? The upcoming series against the Yankees will be pivotal for both him and the team in their pursuit of a playoff position.

As the Guardians look ahead, they retain a level of confidence in Clase. Rookie Joey Cantillo stated, ‘We have the best closer in baseball. I don’t think my job is to close baseball games. My job is to get outs whenever they tell me to get outs.’ The stakes are high, and the Guardians need their closer to be at his best to contend for a playoff spot.