- With +12000 odds to win the World Series, the Cleveland Guardians may have not been the ideal pick to win the MLB, but closer Emmanuel Clase is now the center of an investigation for sports betting and has been put on administrative leave.
CLEVELAND — Just days ahead of Major League Baseball’s trade deadline, Cleveland Guardians All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase has been placed on paid administrative leave as part of the league’s ongoing investigation into sports betting.
Clase, 27, is the second Guardians pitcher now under scrutiny. Earlier this month, right-hander Luis Ortiz was placed on similar non-disciplinary leave after reportedly drawing suspicion over wagers tied to his performance. While no specific allegations have been made public against Clase, league sources say his inclusion in the investigation warranted immediate action.
MLB confirmed Clase's leave, stating that he will remain on paid leave through August 31 and will not count against the Guardians’ 40-man roster. The move was agreed to by the MLB Players Association and is considered non-disciplinary while the online sports betting investigation is ongoing.
In a statement, the Guardians acknowledged the league's decision, adding:
“We have been informed that no additional players or Club personnel are expected to be impacted. The Guardians are not permitted to comment further at this time, and will respect the league’s confidential investigative process as we continue to fully cooperate.”
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Clase has remained one of baseball’s most consistent closers despite a rocky stretch in July. Over 47 1/3 innings this season, he’s tallied 24 saves with a 3.23 ERA. Though trade speculation had swirled around him in recent weeks, his sudden removal from the active roster appears to shelve any potential movement ahead of the deadline.
Guardians Were Hoping To Close The Gap
The timing is a major blow for Cleveland, who, despite sitting one game under .500 at 52–53, remain just eight games behind the AL Central-leading Detroit Tigers. The Guardians had hoped to make a late-season push, but now face a bullpen dilemma at a critical juncture.
Cleveland Guardians Odds
- To Win The World Series +12000
- To Win AL Central +1500
- To Win AL +4500
Clase’s leave marks the latest development in a year that has seen increased MLB sports betting involvement from players. The MLB has yet to reveal the full scope of the investigation or what conduct triggered Clase’s removal. For now, the league continues to stress that these are precautionary actions… not disciplinary rulings… while it assesses whether league integrity rules were breached.
More details are expected in the coming weeks, but for Cleveland, the damage may already be done.
Michael spends most of his time betting on over/unders and analyzing algorithms in attempts to beat the book. His focus on statistics comes from an early understanding of mathematics as well as knowledge of opportunity costs. Michael enjoys playing basketball and reading about the NBA whenever he has the free time. When he is not writing, he can be found in Mississippi hitting the sportsbooks and enjoying a margarita… on the rocks, no salt.
