BREAKING NEWS: Emmanuel Clase Placed on Leave in Connection with Gambling Investigation

Wow

MLB has informed the Guardians that, in the course of the Luis Ortiz sports betting investigation, closer Emmanuel Clase has also been placed on non-disciplinary, administrative, paid leave:

Hey, good news, no other players are involved! Yay!

So, this is really bad and really disappointing. Not only are all Emmanuel Clase trade conversations no longer possible, but the Guardians have lost their elite closer… for the year? …Forever?

I am fairly astonished that a player like Clase who never backs down from any opportunity to close a game could be connected to a sports betting scandal. Maybe it turns out to be nothing, but the odds on that being the case would seem to be quite low (pun-intended). My assumption would be that neither player is going on leave unless the league feels they can eventually build the case for, at least, a suspension if not a ban.

Both Clase and Ortiz, if implicated, have chosen the potential of short-term gains at great expense to themselves and to their teammates. It’s hard to imagine the Guardians’ clubhouse welcoming either back unless some kind of complete exoneration can be given by MLB because how can you rely on a teammate you have the slight suspicion may have a motivation other than winning baseball games when they step on the field?

I saw someone in our news and notes thread say that Jose Ramirez doesn’t deserve this, and I couldn’t agree more. Neither Jose nor Guardians’ fans deserve this. I have already seen folks calling for Stephen Vogt’s job over this, but I don’t think that makes sense. The league and the team are absolutely clear that you can’t bet on baseball to every player. I think this is, however, a further indictment of Major League Baseball’s partnerships with sports betting companies. When a star like Clase who is being paid millions of dollars a year is sucked in, you have a problem. But, I’d guess it’s going to take at least a dozen more of these instances for MLB to admit that, given the strength of gambling money. That’s the sad truth.

Wow, what a difficult day for Guardians’ fans. I think most of all of the kids out there who loved Clase. Tough job for parents to explain what happened today to them, and that’s a real shame.