EMMANUEL CLASE (De La Cruz)...Signed by San Diego as a non-drafted free agent on 1/26/15…Signed by Emengildo Diaz...Favorite move is "Rambo" and favorite player growing up was Mariano Rivera...Enjoys riding horses and spending time with his family at the beach.
2024
Enjoyed one of the most dominant and successful seasons by a reliever in MLB history, tallying a career-high and Cleveland record 47 saves while posting a miniscule 0.61 ERA (5ER/74.1IP), the lowest by a qualified reliever in club history and third-lowest by any MLB reliever in a single season...Led the AL in saves for the third-consecutive season and ranked second in MLB to STL's Ryan Helsley (49SV)...Cleveland went 66-8 in his 74 appearances...Following the season finished third in the AL Cy Young voting behind Tarik Skubal and Seth Lugo, the highest finish by a relief pitcher since Francisco Rodríguez in 2008 (LAA)... Became the seventh multi-time recipient of the Rivera/ Hoffman Award, joining Edwin Díaz, Josh Hader, Liam Hendriks, Kenley Jansen, Craig Kimbrel and Devin Williams...His 4.5 bWAR was the highest single-season mark by an MLB RP since Jon Papelbon in 2006 (5.0, BOS) and the second-highest mark in franchise history (Sid Monge, 5.6, 1979)...Ranked among MLB relief leaders in ERA (1st), pitches-per IP (1st, 13.2), BB/9.0IP (7th, 1.21), BAA (8th, .154) and SO/ BB (10th, 6.60)... Won the AL Reliever of the Month Award in May, July and September, the fifth, sixth and seventh times he's been honored with the award, respectively...Made his third career AL All-Star Team (also, 2022-23) and earned the save in the AL's 5-3 Midsummer Classic victory...Became the fourth pitcher in MLB history to post an ERA of 0.61-or lower and convert 40-or-more saves, joining OAK's Dennis Eckersley (1990), TB's Fernando Rodney (2012) and BAL's Zach Britton (2016)...Lowered his career ERA to 1.67 (58ER/312.2IP), the lowest by any pitcher in MLB history (min. 250.0IP)...Closed the regular season by converting each of his final 34 save opportunities, setting a new career mark for his most consecutive save conversions, ranking second in club history (José Mesa: 38-straight SV from 1994-95)... Blew only three saves in the regular season (4/14 vs. NYY; 4/16 at BOS; 5/19 vs. MIN), earning the victory in two of those games...Set a new single-season career-high with his 45th save of 2024 on 9/15 vs. TB, passing his 2023 season (44SV)... Registered his 47th save on 9/25 vs. CIN, surpassing José Mesa (46SV, 1995) for the club's single-season saves record...150th save on Aug. 30 vs. Pittsburgh broke Cody Allen's (149) career save club record...Primarily featured his cutter (77.8%), with opponents going 28-for-187 (.150) with 42 strikeouts against the pitch (avg. 99.5 mph)...Tallied a run value of 23 (Baseball Savant) with his cutter, the highest run value on a cutter in MLB and third-highest run value on any pitch in 2024...Struggled in the Postseason, going 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA (8ER/8.0IP) in seven appearances...Absorbed the loss in ALDS Game 2 vs. DET (1.0IP, 4H, 3R/ER, HR, SO) and ALCS Game 4 vs. NYY (1.0IP, 3H, 2R/ER, 2HR, IBB, SO) and blew a save in ALCS Game 3 vs. NYY (7-5 CLE W)...Surrendered three home runs during the Postseason after allowing just two across 74 regular season games (8 ER all'd in PS; 5 in regular)...Only pitcher in Guardians’ history with three seasons of at least 40 saves and the third closer in Baseball history with at least three seasons of 40-or-more saves prior to his 27th birthday, joining Craig Kimbrel and Francisco Rodríguez... Fifth pitcher in All-Star Game history with at least two career saves, joining Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera (four saves); Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley (three saves); Mel Harder (two saves); and Hall of Famer Bruce Sutter (two saves)...Only RP in ML history to post at least three seasons of a sub-1.40 ERA...The following six pitchers have posted two such seasons: Josh Hader, Kirby Yates, Wade Davis, Craig Kimbrel, Joe Nathan, Mariano Rivera.
2023
Led the Majors in saves (career-high 44) for the second straight year...fourth-highest single-season save total in club history, was also T2nd in appearances by a reliever in MLB…T3rd in AL in relief innings...Leads all MLB in saves since 2022 (86), ahead of Jordan Romano (72)…Also 1st in appearances (152) and 2nd in innings (145.1) among MLB relievers...Led MLB with a career-high 12 blown saves in 2023 – the most by a CLE reliever since saves became an official stat in 1969…Frank Funk had 11 blown saves in 1961 for CLE…Most blown saves in MLB since Kansas City’s Ambiorix Burgos in 2006 (also 12); also had a career-high nine losses on the year (prev. high: 5 in ‘21) T3rd-most among relievers in MLB...Boasts fifth-most saves in CLE history (110 SV) behind Chris Perez (124 saves).
2022
Unanimous winner of the Mariano Rivera American League Reliever of the Year award after leading the Majors in saves (42), the first Cleveland closer to lead the Majors in saves over a full season since Jose Mesa in 1995…Also finished tied for the Major League lead in games pitched (77)…Was successful in 42 of 46 save chances (91%)…His 42 saves were the most by a Cleveland pitcher since Joe Borowski in 2007 (45) and were the fifth-most in a single season in franchise history…He is already seventh in club history with 66 career saves…First-ever Dominican-born winner of the Rivera Award...Is one of just four relievers in ML history to post multiple seasons of a sub-1.40 ERA (Joe Nathan, Craig Kimbrel, Wade Davis) and he now owns the second (1.29 in 2021) and third-lowest single-season ERA’s (1.36 in 2022) in club history (min. 54IP)…Snapped streak of a career-high 25 straight SV conversions on Sept. 7 (streak ran from May 14-Sept. 5) w/a BS on 9/7 @KC (0.2IP, 1H, 2R/ER, 3BB), marked the longest save streak by a CLE reliever since Jose Mesa in 1995 (38SV)…From June 1-end of season (58G) converted 36 of 38 saves w/a 0.97ERA (6ER/55.2IP, .146 avg)…Led MLB relievers (min. 250 pitches) in avg cutter velo. (99.5mph)…Since 2021, is first among MLB relievers in ERA (1.33) and T2nd in games (148)…Holds lowest ERA all-time among pitchers with min. 50IP (1.47ERA)…Only P in CLE history w/ 40+ SV and 70+ G’s in a single season...Postseason debut on 10/7 vs. TB (SV, 1.1IP, 0H, 1SO, 11 pitches), longest outing of 2022 (last 1.0+IP: 1.1IP, 9/5/21 @BOS)…Youngest reliever to get a Postseason save in franchise history (24-203) ahead of Brian Anderson in 1997 (25-179)…Worked 2.1 scoreless innings for his first career win in Game 2 of the ALDS at NYY.
2021
Compiled one of the finest seasons in relief in club history, posting the second-lowest ERA (1.29) in both club history (min. 50 games/50IP) and among 2021 ML relievers (Josh Hader, MIL, 1.23)…The flamethrower ranked highly among rookie relievers in ERA (1st, 1.29), saves (1st, 24), innings pitched (3rd, 69.2), average against (4th, .195), wins (T5th, 4) and strikeouts (6th, 74)...According to Fan Graphs, Clase led all rookie relievers in WAR (2.2) and ranked sixth among all MLB rookie pitchers (starters & relievers)...According to Baseball-Reference, was the third-most valuable Cleveland player (2.8 bWAR) behind José Ramίrez (6.7) and Cal Quantrill (3.9)... Garnered a first place vote in the 2021 A.L. Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year voting after the season, good for a fifth place finish (11 points)...Set club rookie records for appearances (71) and saves (24)...Tossed 471 of 1,057 (44.6%) pitches at 100+ MPH in 2021, leading all of MLB in 100+ MPH pitches thrown (Baseball Savant). Clase finished the season with the fastest avg. 4-seam fastball speed (100.7 MPH) and the fastest average cutter speed (100.2 MPH) in 2021 (min. 100 pitches), marking the highest average cutter velocity in a season for a pitcher since pitch tracking began in 2008...Also owns the second-highest average cutter velocity for a season with a 99.2 MPH average in 2019....After a rough patch in late June/early July (June 30-July 16) in which he allowed 11 hits and 9 runs (6ER) over a 6-game span (5.1 IP), he went on to post an ERA of 0.28 over his final 32 games of the season (July 17-on, 32.2IP, 16H, 2R/1ER, 2BB, 33K)…Did not allow a run over a career-high 20 straight appearances (20.1IP), July 17-Sept. 1…Longest scoreless stretch by a club reliever since Andrew Miller (29.2IP, 2016-17)…Was named August A.L. Reliever of the Month (0R, 12.2IP, .095 AVG), becoming the first Clevelander to earn the award since Cody Allen in April of 2017....Allowed only seven extra-base hits on the year (4 2B, 3B, 2HR) and walked just one batter over his final 22 games (8/15-on, 22.2 IP)…Allowed earned runs in only 7 of 71 games…Recorded one 5-out save (first career on 7/31 at CWS) and one four-out save (9/5 at BOS)…Recorded a career-best 13 straight save conversions, July 25-Sept. 21, coming after blowing three straight opportunities in consecutive appearances, July 5-16…On the year, he was 24-for-29 overall (83%) in save opportunities…Allowed a season OPS of just .481, including a .440 mark by LHH (22-for-123, .179 AVG)… Batters hit .188 (21-for-112) with runners on and .145 (9-for-62) with RISP.
2020
Acquired by Cleveland from Texas in December 2019 along with OF Delino DeShields in a deal that sent RHP Corey Kluber to the Rangers...Spent the season on the Restricted List after being suspended for the season (originally 80 games) after testing positive for the PED Boldenone in violation of MLB's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program...Suspension was revised to cover the entirety of the 60-game 2020 season...Spent the campaign between Goodyear, AZ and his home in the Dominican Republic...Did not pitch in Spring Training due to a strain of the teres major muscle in his right shoulder/upper back area...Appeared in one game for Estrellas (Nov. 16) in the Dominican Winter League (LIDOM).
2019
Made his Major League debut in August at the age of 21, emerging as a reliable option out of the Texas bullpen over the final 2 months of the season, leading all Rangers pitchers with 21 appearances from 8/4 (ML debut) through the end of the season…Posted the third-lowest ERA (2.31) among AL rookie pitchers (min. 20 IP) behind MIN's Randy Dobnak (1.59) and TB's Nick Anderson (2.11)… Was the third Ranger to make 20-or-more relief appearances in an age-21 or younger season, joining Neftalí Felíz in 2009 (20 G) and Mitch Williams in 1986 (80 G)...Has never been on the Injured List in his professional career...Made ML debut on 8/4 vs. DET at 21 years, 139 days, the youngest Texas pitcher to debut since Martín Pérez (21.084) on 6/27/12 vs. DET…Earned first - and only - career save on Aug. 30 vs. Seattle at 21.165 YO, youngest to notch a save for Texas since Feliz (21.125) in 2009 and second-youngest to earn an MLB save in 2019 (SD's Andrés Muñoz, 20.225)…First ML win on August 20 vs. LAA and made his first career start as 'opener', Aug. 28 at LAA (1.0 SHO IP)...Posted a 0.69 ERA (3 R-1 ER/13.0 IP) in final 12 games and recorded no walks in last 11 games (12.0 IP) ... Contract was selected from Frisco (AA) on August 2, posting a combined 3-2 mark with a 2.82 (14 ER/44.2 IP) with 9 BB/50 SO, 12 saves, and 1.052 WHIP figure over 39 games/one start for High-A Down East and AA Frisco in 2019 … Began season with Down East and was promoted to Frisco on 4/23…Was rated by Baseball America as Texas' 23rd-best prospect in July update...Seven outings for Estrellas in the DWL after the season (1ER/7.0IP).
2018
Acquired from San Diego on 5/7 as played to be named later, completing the 4/6 trade that sent C Brett Nicholas to the Padres...Named to Northwest League mid-season All-Star team…Posted a 0.64 ERA (2 ER/28.1 IP) in 22 relief outings, lowest among NWL pitchers (min. 25.0 IP)...Finished T1st in the NWL in saves (12), converting 11 straight chances to close the season...Following that outing, closed regular season with 21.0-inning scoreless streak spanning 16 outings (.145 opp. avg. during span).
2017
Combined to go 2-5 with a 6.00 ERA (26 ER/39.0 IP) in 10 G/6 GS with Tri-City (Short-A) and AZL Padres2 (Rk.)… Posted career-high 10.6 SO/9 and 5.1 BB/9…Made season debut with Tri-City before being transferred to the AZL for remainder of campaign.
2016
Held opponents to .227/.309/.247/.557 (22-97) slash line in first stateside season, allowing just 2 XBH (2 2B).
2015
In pro debut, led DSL Padres staff in ERA (1.99), starts (10), innings (54.1) and strikeouts (49).
