The Cleveland Guardians won the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader 5-4 against the Boston Red Sox.
The Guards were leading by one run since Steven Kwan’s RBI single in the sixth inning.
They reached the late innings leading the game, and manager Stephen Vogt chose to give struggling closer Emmanuel Clase the eighth inning and Cade Smith the ninth.
Both pitchers excelled and Cleveland took the first game of the day.
It was Clase’s first game action since last Sunday when he blew a save and conceded three runs against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Does this mean Clase has lost his grip on the Guardians’ closer role?
Not quite, according to Vogt.
“Vogt said he wanted to use Clase in a lower leverage situation until closer gets back on track,” Guardians reporter Tom Withers wrote on X.
Vogt said he wanted to use Clase in a lower leverage situation until closer gets back on track.
— Tom Withers (@twithersAP) April 26, 2025
With such a long absence, the skipper probably didn’t want to throw Clase right into the fire.
It was probably the right call.
There are no excuses from now on, though.
Per an announcement from the team in the last few days, the righty also suffered some shoulder discomfort, but he seems to be over the issue now.
In fact, the days off appeared to agree with Clase, as he struck out two and conceded no hits or walks in his inning of work, needing just 14 pitches in the process.
His season ERA is still an unfathomable 7.15, but Saturday was definitely a step in the right direction.
The expectation is that if there are save chances from now on, Clase will get the first crack.
NEXT: Guardians Bring Up Former Top Prospect To Fortify Pitching Staff
