Emmanuel Clase Sends Cleveland Guardians to ALCS With Rare 6-Out Save

Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase had never strung together a six-out save in his MLB career before he did so against the Detroit Tigers in Game 5 of the ALDS on Saturday.

Oct 12, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians pitcher Emmanuel Clase (48) reacts after a strikeout in the eighth inning against the Detroit Tigers during game five of the ALDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Progressive Field. / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Emmanuel Clase was having a pretty spotty October leading up to Game 5 of the ALDS, but Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt still put his faith in the league's most dominant closer on Saturday.

Clase took the mound with no outs in the top of the eighth inning against the Detroit Tigers, inheriting a runner on first while the Guardians led 6-3. After forcing a line out and a fly out, Clase struck out Kerry Carpenter in an eight-pitch at-bat to escape the frame unscathed.

With another insurance run to work with in the ninth, Clase needed just nine pitches to record a 1-2-3 inning and lock down the win. Clase came away with a perfect six-out save, helping Cleveland advance to the ALCS in the process.

According to MLB.com's Sarah Langs, that marked only the 14th six-out save in a winner-take-all postseason game since saves became official in 1969. It was the first since Lance McCullers Jr. threw one with the Houston Astros in Game 7 of the 2017 ALCS, although McCullers was a starting pitcher by trade.

The last six-out, zero-baserunner save recorded in the postseason prior to Clase's came from San Francisco Giants closer Camilo Doval in Game 3 of the 2021 NLDS, per StatMuse Baseball.

Emmanuel Clase with the 14th 6+ out save in a winner-take-all postseason game (saves official since 1969)

First since 2017 ALCS G7 Lance McCullers Jr.

AND Clase’s first career 6-out save https://t.co/TtP039qTCr

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) October 12, 2024

Clase went 4-2 with a 0.61 ERA, 0.659 WHIP, 47 saves and a 4.5 WAR this past regular season, all of which were career-bests for the 26-year-old right-hander. He made his third consecutive All-Star Game en route to leading the American League in saves for the third year in a row.

However, Clase got stuck with the loss in Game 2 of the ALDS on Monday after giving up a pinch-hit, three-run home run to Carpenter. Even when he picked up the save in Game 4 on Thursday, he still gave up an earned run.

Thanks to his bounce back outing on Saturday, Clase's career playoff ERA has dipped back down to 3.09, while his WHIP has been trimmed to 0.686.

Clase and the Guardians will now head off to the Bronx, where they will face the New York Yankees in Game 1 of the ALCS on Monday.

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