Guardians General Manager Mike Chernoff Sounds Off On Emmanuel Clase

The Cleveland Guardians cannot escape the Emmanuel Clase controversy.

As the first game of spring training slowly approaches and heads start to turn towards what the Guardians plan to put out on the diamond for the 2026 campaign, other mindsets stay fixated on one big storyline that occurred last season: the loss of Clase and the illegal gambling investigation.

Recently, on the Foul Territory show, Guardians general manager Mike Chernoff was asked about how that experience impacted the team last year. Immediately, it was obvious that the topic was a sore subject.

"Still, every time I read anything about it, I'm cringing," Chernoff said. "It makes my stomach unsettled just to see some of the stuff that's been written about, and yet our guys never gave up."

"Our guys were pissed. Still, every time I read anything about it, I cringe."

Guardians GM Mike Chernoff is incredibly proud of how the team bounced back after Emmanuel Clase's alleged pitch-rigging surfaced. pic.twitter.com/ZFNETJmTpu
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) February 18, 2026

In late July 2025, following a federal investigation into allegations that Clase conspired with bettors to rig in-game pitches, he was placed on MLB non-disciplinary leave. Following that, just a few months later, Clase was indicted in November on allegations involving games from the 2023 through the 2025 seasons.

Recent news that has emerged suggests that the trial will now be postponed till October 2026, as the men, including starting arm Luis Ortiz, pleaded not guilty to a rewritten indictment.

This situation is one that the Guardians just wish they could put to rest already, especially as more comes out about the details involving Clase's pitches and how they affected the team's ability to win games.

The Guardians' Mindset

Ahead of the 2026 campaign, the Guardians are focusing on what they can do to separate themselves from others.

Chernoff spoke to the team's culture they have in place, reflecting on how situations like the Clase one are frustrating, but if a team's able to come out on the other side, it shows just how strong that bond is.

"We have to separate ourselves," Chernoff said. "We can't do it with the economics. We have to do it in other ways, and culture is such a huge part of what we do. Our scouts do a phenomenal job of understanding and learning the makeup of each player, and we try to bring in great people, not just great players.

"...We can separate ourselves with culture. And when something like that happens, man, it's a knockdown."

Chernoff went on to explain just how much it affected the organization, not just on the field, but off as well.

"Obviously, [you know] what it does on the field, but also what it does off the field," Chernoff said. "I think what I would say is how our guys bounce back from something like that tells you everything you need to know. I mean, our guys were pissed. They were not happy. I'm sure you've talked to some of our players."

He went on to say that the players used that as motivation. A key person through it all was manager Stephen Vogt, who stepped up and propelled the clubhouse to new heights. Even though the team lost a critical piece of its bullpen, the production never wavered.

"From the day Clase was suspended to the end of the season, we had the number one bullpen ERA in baseball, which to me tells me everything you need to know," Chernoff said. "You lose the guy who was maybe the highest performing closer in all baseball, and everybody just stepped up and performed even better."

The Guardians will look to carry that 2025 momentum into the 2026 campaign, with the first games of spring training set for Saturday, Feb. 21. They'll take on the Cincinnati Reds at 3:05 p.m. EST and the Milwaukee Brewers at 3:10 p.m. EST from Arizona.

This will serve as an early look into the bullpen the Guardians have built in the post-Clase era of the organization.