As we enter the season’s stretch run, the end-of-the-season award conversations are also starting to heat up as well. The American League Cy Young Award race is surely going to garner a lot of attention. Starting pitchers like Tarik Skubal, Corbin Burnes, Seth Lugo, and Logan Gilbert are going to be a part of the conversation. One pitcher who deserves the same consideration as those starters is Cleveland Guardians Closer Emmanuel Clase.
Clase Has Unlocked A New Level Of Dominance This Season
Emmanuel Clase isn’t some pitcher who came out of nowhere, he’s led the American League in saves the past three seasons. The 26-year-old has also been an all-star for three consecutive years as well. Despite all his success as a closer, Clase has never finished in the top five in the Cy Young Award voting. However, this season, the Guardians closer seems to unlock a new level of dominance.
Whenever Clase enters the game, opposing hitters look defeated before even stepping up to the plate. I find it hard to blame them. This season Clase has been more dominant than he’s ever been in his career. While primarily only throwing a cutter and slider, Clase is currently 4-2 with an era of 0.69, 42 saves, 56 strikeouts, and a 0.658 WHIP. The most impressive part of his season is Clase has only blown three saves, allowed eight walks, 35 hits, and two home runs. Opponents are only slashing .157/.191/.211 with an OPS of just .401. Emmanuel Clase strikes out 23.6% of the hitters he faces while inducing a 58.7% groundball rate.
He Has Shown Just How Valuable He Truly Is This season
Embed from Getty ImagesHe isn’t just Cleveland’s best bullpen pitcher, but Clase is one of their most valuable players. He has a WAR of 3.9 which is second to perennial all-star and MVP candidate Jose Ramirez. Clase is also ahead of all-stars like Shota Imanaga, Steven Kwan, Josh Naylor, Max Fried, Logan Webb, Garrett Crochet, and others. This comes to show just how valuable Emmanuel Clase is to the Cleveland Guardians success this season.
More Emphasis Is Placed On Relievers Then Starters
Embed from Getty ImagesToday’s game places more value on relief pitchers than starters. This season, starting pitchers are only averaging 5.25 innings pitched. This means just about every game more than one reliever is used. Teams are now increasing the size of their pitching staffs to 12 or in some cases 13 players. Five of those pitchers are starters while the rest come into the games out of the bullpen.
However, despite relievers being used more, starting pitchers still garner more award votes. This is due in part to starters pitching significantly more innings than closers. It’s been 16 years since a reliever finished in the top three in the Cy Young Award voting. In recent years, the highest place a reliever has finished in the Cy Young Award voting was fifth in 2017. However, this season, outside of Tarik Skubal, no other starters are Cy Young-worthy. He and Emmanuel Clase are the only pitchers this season who should warrant serious consideration.
Clase’s Season Is Comparable If Not Better Then Eric Gagne’s 2003
Embed from Getty ImagesIn the history of the award, there have been just ten relievers to win it. The last closer to win a Cy Young award was Eric Gagne in 2003. That season, Gagne was 2-3 with an ERA of 1.20, 55 saves, 137 strikeouts, and a 0.692 WHIP. It should be noted that the then-Dodgers closer finished that season with a WAR of 3.7. Emmanuel Clase is having a similar and, in some cases, a better year than Gagne had the year he won it. Given how similar and in some cases better Clase’s season compared to Gagne’s Cy Young year, this should warrant the writers giving him more votes.
Emmanuel Clase Deserves More Consideration
Embed from Getty ImagesEmmanuel Clase is arguably the best closer in not just the American League but the entire sport. While primarily throwing just two pitches, the 26-year-old is having one of the more dominant seasons a closer can have. He is arguably one of the more valuable players currently on the Cleveland Guardians roster. His wins above replacement measure show he means more to a team than some all-star starters and position players this season. Clase’s success in 2024 is comparable and in some cases better than Eric Gagne’s in 2003, the year he won the award. Given how brilliant and dominant Emmanuel Clase has been this season, he deserves more consideration for the Cy Young Award.
For more on baseball, check out Belly Up Sports and follow Eric Katz on Twitter/X. Featured images from Getty Images
