Cleveland Guardians Star Closer Given Unsurprising Prediction

MLB analysts believe Cleveland Guardians' closer Emmanuel Clase will lead the American League in saves during the 2025 season.

Feb 20, 2025; Goodyear, AZ, USA; Cleveland Guardians pitcher Emmanuel Clase (48) poses for a photo during MLB Media Day at Cleveland Guardians Spring Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images / Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Guardians easily had the best bullpen in MLB during the 2024 season. While it'll be hard to repeat a team reliever ERA of 2.57, Cleveland is in line to have another elite group yet again this season.

One key reason for this bullpen dominance is their three-time All-Star closer, Emmanuel Clase, who led the American League with 47 saves in 2024.

Theo DeRosa of MLB.com polled 59 experts who made an unsurprising prediction for the 2025 season: that Clase will lead the American League in saves once again.

"The AL saves leader in 2022? Clase. In 2023? Clase. In 2024? Clase. So perhaps it's no surprise that a majority of our voters picked Clase to run it back for a fourth straight year," wrote DeRosa.

"Clase has been nothing short of excellent year in and year out, especially in 2024, when he posted a phenomenal 0.61 ERA in 74 1/3 innings and saved 47 ballgames. He's still pitching in the back end of the bullpen for a Guardians team with postseason aspirations, so Clase remains as strong a pick as any here."

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

As DeRosa pointed out, Clase had his playoff struggles last year, but that shouldn't take away from the historically dominant regular season that he had.

This group of MLB experts is the only one expecting more dominance from Clase this year.

A recent poll of current players voted Clase as the best closer in baseball with one players describing him as "one of the nastiest pitchers in the world."

It's going to be hard for Clase to repeat a sub-1.00 ERA season, but it looks like those around baseball are expecting another elite season from Cleveland's closer.

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