Emmanuel Clase Update
By: Jeremy Lawless
The writing was on the wall, even before Kluber’s injury early in the 2019 campaign which sidelined him for the rest of the season. Production had not been to his admittedly high standards that Kluber set for himself as a 2 time Cy Young Award winner with the Indians. I think if we are all honest with ourselves, there was little to no chance of the Indians paying Kluber’s 17.5 million dollars in 2020.
As it turns out there was no chance at all. On December 15, 2019 the Indians pulled the trigger that sent Kluber and $500 thousand dollars (half of his $1million dollar signing bonus) to the Texas Rangers for OF Delino Deshields and rocket armed reliever Emmanuel Clase (pronounced Closs-A). The Rangers assumed the entirety of the $17.5 million dollars of Kluber’s deal.
The Indians outfield, on paper, leaves something to be desired. Deshields should come in and contribute but is more of a rotational player than everyday starter. The prize of the deal is obvious. Clase.
Emmanuel Clase made his MLB debut for the Rangers in 2019. He finished the year with a 2.31 Earned Run Average allowing 6 runs while walking six and striking out 21. His best pitch? Try hitting a 100mph cutter. He is an exciting part of your bullpen, until he is not part of your bullpen.
Since joining the Indians Clase has not pitched a single inning of regular season baseball. Redundant right? Wrong. Most forget that he strained his teres major in his back during Spring training. Even without the Global Pandemic, he would not have been in the bullpen until late May/Early June.
Then the big blow.
On May 1, the MLB handed Clase an 80 game suspension for violating the leagues policy of Performance Enhancing Drugs by testing positive for boldenone. Boldenone is not a supplement that appears as something it isn’t. It is flat out an anabolic steroid.
It is not yet known at what point the failed test happened. The problem here is the already weak return for beloved Kluber is now a glaring lopsided trade in favor of the Rangers.
Clase’s 80 game suspension will now be over in 2020. The decision has come down that due to the 60 game season, Clase’s WILL NOT carry into 2021. There is no word on what would happen if the 60 game season is cut short due to the ongoing pandemic.
What sticks out the most now is the Indians dealt Corey Kluber to save $17 million dollars, a rotational outfielder and a rocket armed reliever that will not be available until 2021.
