Guardians Teammate Makes Bold Claim About Emmanuel Clase

A Cleveland Guardians statement spoke out with a bold claim about star closer Emmanuel Clase.

Sep 16, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians relief pitcher Emmanuel Clase (48) throws a pitch during the ninth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Progressive Field. / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Guardians are set to head into the MLB postseason and are finishing out the last few games on their regular season schedule.

All season long, the Guardians have been one of the top teams in the American League. Despite not being a big spender, Cleveland has found a way to force their way into the conversation.

One major key to the success that the Guardians have had this season has been closer Emmanuel Clase.

Clase has been the best closer in baseball and the competition is nowhere close to him. He's also being talked about as a potential American League Cy Young candidate due to his strong season.

On the year, he has appeared in 73 games for Cleveland, compiling a 4-2 record, a 0.61 ERA, a 0.65 WHIP, a 6.6 K/BB ratio, 47 saves, just three blown saves, and 73.1 innings pitched.

Ahead of the postseason, a teammate has spoken out with a very bold take about Clase.

Austin Hedges, a catcher for the Guardians, boldly stated that through this period of time, Clase is the best pitcher ever. It's clear how much his teammates love him and just how big of an impact he has had.

Austin Hedges on Emmanuel Clase:

“Through this amount of time, he’s the best pitcher ever” pic.twitter.com/VS7po0Is91

— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) September 25, 2024

Looking ahead to the playoffs, Clase is going to be a huge part of a potential World Series run for Cleveland. He will need to continue playing at the same level that he has shown throughout the regular season.

Having that kind of elite arm at the end of the bullpen is a huge advantage. If the Guardians can at least force close games against the elite teams they will face, Clase will give them a great chance to close out wins.

All of that being said, the 2024 season has been amazing for Clase. He has taken a huge leap forward as a player and will project to be the best closer in baseball for many years to come.

Hopefully, he's able to help lead Cleveland on a deep postseason run and potentially to a championship.