Guardians All-Star's Alarming Start May Be Cause for Panic

Last year, the Cleveland Guardians' bullpen was nearly untouchable, and that was thanks much in part to the Herculean efforts of closer Emmanuel Clase.

Clase posted a minuscule 0.61 ERA during the regular season, racking up 47 saves while posting an eye-popping 0.659 WHIP over 74.1 innings of work.

The 27-year-old actually doesn't have very overpowering stuff, as evidenced by his lifetime average of 8.7 strikeouts per nine innings, but his precise location and ability to keep the ball in the yard has made him one of the game's very best relievers.

Things then took a turn for the worse for Clase during the 2024 MLB playoffs, as he surrendered more homers (three) than he gave up the entire regular season. He permitted eight runs in eight innings, good for a paltry 9.00 ERA. Chalk it up to a small sample size, right?

Well, a couple of weeks into the 2025 campaign, Clase's demons seem to have returned, as he has already allowed four earned runs in six appearances. For comparison's sake, he surrendered five earned runs all of last season.

So, what exactly is going on here? Did Clase lose his confidence last October? Or is it possible the three-time All-Star—who has led the American League in saves each of the last three years—is overworked?

Clase had an entire offseason of rest, so it seems hard to imagine he is too fatigued. Is there something bothering the right-hander? Is this a case of dead arm? I mena, his velocity is still great, so that probably isn't what it is.

Whatever the case may be, it's certainly cause for concern for the Guardians, who relied heavily on their bullpen to win the AL Central and advance to the ALCS last year.

At the current point in time, Cleveland's starting rotation isn't good enough to compensate for a shaky bullpen, and while the Guardians may have numerous dynamic relievers, losing the old Clase would represent a potentially cataclysmic below to Cleveland's playoff chances.

It's obviously still very early in the season, but there is absolutely reason to be alarmed by Clase's performance thus far considering how he looked in the postseason six months ago.

Hopefully, Clase can iron things out and rediscover his previous form soon. If not, the Guardians could be in some serious trouble.

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