Emanuel Clase Faces MLB Ban Over Betting Investigation

The Cleveland Guardians could be without one of their top pitchers for good. Reports suggest that star closer Emanuel Clase may never pitch in Major League Baseball again following a sports betting investigation.

End of Career?

According to Héctor Gómez, sports editor for Z101Digital.com in the Dominican Republic, the evidence against Clase is “irrefutable”, and it could bury his MLB career. 

Clase, along with teammate Luis Ortiz, has been on non-disciplinary leave since July while MLB investigates alleged betting activity. Their paid leaves, originally set to end on August 31, have been extended indefinitely. The Ohio Casino Control Commission is also involved in the investigation.

While details about Clase’s involvement remain scarce, some information has emerged about Ortiz. ESPN reporters David Purdum and Jeff Passan shared that IC360, a sports betting integrity watchdog, flagged suspicious wagers on two specific pitches Ortiz threw during the season. 

Both pitches were sliders that ended up well outside the strike zone. One came against the Seattle Mariners on June 15, and the other against the St. Louis Cardinals on June 27. To casual viewers, neither pitch would have appeared unusual, but the betting patterns around those innings raised red flags.

The investigation suggests both Ortiz and Clase may have intentionally thrown certain pitches to influence bets. MLB has not publicly confirmed these allegations, but the implications are serious. 

Rejected by Hometown Club

The consequences extend beyond MLB, as both players were denied registration to play winter ball in the Dominican Republic with the Estrellas Orientales, their hometown club in San Pedro de Macorís, according to ESPN’s Enrique Rojas. 

This means the players can’t return home to compete in their country’s top league, limiting their options while the investigation continues.

For now, Clase and Ortiz remain on leave, and MLB has yet to release further details. Fans and analysts alike are watching closely, as the situation could mark one of the most significant sports betting cases in recent MLB history.Clase’s absence did not, however, prevent the Guardians from making a late-season push, helping them win the American League Central Division and secure the AL’s third playoff seed, though they lost the series two games to one.