Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase’s dominant 2024 season could, unfortunately, be remembered in history for his devastating postseason struggles.
He went from giving up just five earned runs in 74.1 innings throughout the regular season to surrendering eight runs in eight innings in the playoffs, representing an increase in ERA from 0.61 to 9.00.
Even though the season ended on a sour note, it cannot be overstated just how historic Clase’s season was.
Some recent stats helped provide perspective into just how good he was in 2024 and why fans should still be ecstatic that he’ll be closing out games for this team for years to come.
MLB shared a thread on X of the best seasons by any relievers over the past five years, and Clase’s 47 saves and 0.66 WHIP were both the second-best of any reliever over the last five years, topped only by Ryan Helsley’s 49 saves in 2024 and Devin Williams’ 0.63 WHIP in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, while Clase’s minuscule 0.61 ERA was far lower than any of his peers over that timeframe aside from Williams’ 0.33, once again in the pandemic season.
A thread of the best reliever seasons over the past 5 years 👀
These numbers are wild ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/5fnPQ9MdbX
— MLB (@MLB) November 16, 2024
According to StatMuse, Clase’s 0.61 ERA is the third-lowest in major league history for an entire season, with over 49 innings pitched.
The Guardians had the best bullpen in baseball in 2024, and there’s every reason to believe they can maintain that success for years to come.
The foundation of their bullpen consists of players all under 28 years old, and they have been under contract for a considerable time.
Hopefully, Clase will get his chance to redeem himself in the playoffs, but regardless, his 2024 regular season should be remembered fondly.
NEXT: Stats Show How Impressive Guardians' Bullpen Was This Past Season
