Emmanuel Clase, the closer of the Cleveland Guardians, is already among the greatest pitchers in franchise history.
This week, on Wednesday, he notched his 39th save of the season and his 149th of his career, tying Cody Allen at the top of the franchise’s all-time leaderboard.
Clase is just 26 years old and is under contract for several more seasons at an affordable salary, which means he will likely stick around for a while.
There is a chance he accumulates 200 saves by late 2025 or early 2026.
What he’s done to this point goes well beyond just saves.
Sure, they are a cool, telling stat, but anybody can get a save here or there.
Now, is anybody capable of posting better numbers than Mariano Rivera himself through 300+ games?
That’s different, and that’s exactly why Clase should be considered one of the best relievers of his generation.
Just take a look at the numbers.
“Through his first 306 MLB appearances, Emmanuel Clase has put up numbers that are comparable to one of the all-time greats,” Bally Sports Cleveland tweeted.
Through his first 306 MLB appearances, Emmanuel Clase has put up numbers that are comparable to one of the all-time greats 🐐#ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/Es3UPHRMb5
— Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) August 29, 2024
Clase is obviously still far from what Mariano Rivera meant to the game of baseball as a consistent star and postseason producer.
However, there is no denying that their numbers, at least through 306 career games, are very much alike and even slightly favor Clase.
Do what you will with that information, but facts are facts, and they are undisputable.
You could even say that their pitching styles are very much alike, as they both favor weak contact over strikeouts and boast an amazing cutter.
That style has allowed Clase to sport an unbelievable 0.58 ERA this season, in 62.1 innings.
Relievers are very volatile, and Rivera is who he is for his consistency and longevity, not because he wowed you with 100+ strikeouts per season.
If Clase enjoys the same consistency and remains relatively healthy into his thirties, he will be a Hall of Famer.
The talent is there.
NEXT: Graphic Proves Guardians Pitcher Should Be In The AL Cy Young Discussion
