"Guardians' whole pitching staff is Emmanuel Clase" - Sportscaster sees All-Star closer a Cy Young threat to Tarik Skubal and Corbin Burnes
Video creator Jake Storiale and former Minnesota Twins player Trevor Plouffe talked about Emmanuel Clase of the Cleveland Guardians. Clase has received acclaim this season for his fine displays as a closer for his side.
The Guardians currently sit atop the AL Central standings with a 75-56 record. A lot of credit for their success this season goes to their elite bullpen.
Speaking about how Clase has continued to make a case for winning the Cy Young award with his performances, despite the award being typically won by starters, Storiale said (41:00):
"Some real Cy Young talk. Skubal has it by a horse length. If Skubal were to slip up in a big way, the Clase narrative could get hot in a hurry.
"Innings-wise, I know that's always going to be a really impossible hurdle, but he is entering the air of 'if there is a guy or a season you'd want to partake in that', what Clase has done is unreal. The Guardians' whole pitching staff has been him [Emmanuel Clase]."
Emmanuel Clase gets 38th save of the season as Guardians beat the Rangers
The Cleveland Guardians defeated the Texas Rangers by a score of 4-2 on Sunday in a game where the hosts took control early, scoring a run each in the first two innings. The Guardians' most recent win further reinforces their position at the summit of the AL Central, as second-placed Kansas City Royals lost 11-3 to the Philadelphia Phillies shortly after.
Meanwhile, closer Emmanuel Clase continues to rack up the saves, with his latest coming in Sunday's win at Progressive Field. The 26-year-old struck out all three batters he faced to record his 38th save of the season. The Dominican now has a 0.60 ERA with a 0.65 WHIP, and 52 strikeouts in 60.1 innings of work for the 2024 season so far.
Next, the Guardians face off against fellow AL Central competitors the Royals in a doubleheader, playing two of the four games on Monday. Fans will be hoping their side can keep up the consistency they have shown this season and go on to win another series to increase their lead at the top of their division.