Latest news with #EmmanuelClase
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase placed on leave for sports-betting investigation
Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase placed on leave for sports-betting investigation originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia Another Cleveland Guardians pitcher is being investigated for gambling. All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase reportedly was placed on non-disciplinary paid leave as part of MLB's sports-betting investigation, ESPN's Jeff Passan reported Monday. MLB later confirmed the news, announcing that Clase's leave runs through Aug. 31, 2025. Clase is the second Guardians pitcher tied to the investigation, joining right-hander Luis Ortiz — who was named earlier in July. It's been a down 2025 season for the 27-year-old Clase after he led the American League in saves for the last three years. After posting a 0.61 ERA with 47 of 50 saves converted in 2024, Clase has a career-worst 3.23 ERA with 24 saves and five blown saves this season. The Guardians (52-53) have been hovering around .500 for much of the season. With the MLB trade deadline approaching on Thursday, Cleveland currently sits 3.5 games back of the final wild card spot through July 27.
Axios
21 hours ago
- Sport
- Axios
Sports gambling scandals raise concerns over game integrity
The major sports leagues are confronting a potentially costly reality in sports gambling: If you embrace it, problems will come. Why it matters: Recent investigations of pro baseball and basketball stars have raised fears about the integrity of sports, and whether certain plays, or even whole games, are being manipulated. Driving the news: One of Major League Baseball's star relief pitchers this week became the latest athlete to be ensnared in a sports gambling scandal. State of play: For decades, the major sports leagues spurned betting in part because of fears it would invite questions about the integrity of the game. But since the Supreme Court overturned the effective federal ban on sports betting in 2018, more than half of U.S. states have legalized it — and the major sports have embraced it, creating a windfall for leagues, players, media, sportsbooks and state governments. Americans legally bet about $150 billion on sports in 2024, driving a 24.8% increase in revenue for the industry compared with a year earlier, according to the American Gaming Association. Threat level: Easy mobile access to legal betting is leading to growing suspicions of players conspiring with gamblers to fix outcomes. Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase on Monday was placed on non-disciplinary paid leave through Aug. 31 "while MLB continues its sports betting investigation," the league said in a statement. He's the second Guardians pitcher to be placed on leave as the MLB examines gambling this year, joining starter Luis Ortiz. Efforts to reach both players through the Guardians and the Major League Baseball Players Association were unsuccessful. They have not been accused of any wrongdoing. The scrutiny comes after former NBA player Jontay Porter was accused of disclosing confidential information about his health to a bettor and then limiting his participation in a game — information the league claimed was used to bet against him. Porter was banned from the NBA and later pleaded guilty to wire fraud in connection with the scandal. The NBA did not respond to a request for comment. The risk for the leagues is that fans start to tune out, leading to lower ratings, merchandise sales and ticket revenue, says Erik Gordon, a business professor at the University of Michigan. "None of the major sports leagues wants to be viewed by the public the way the public used to view staged television wrestling," Gordon says. "They want the games to be viewed as honest games with players trying their best." Inside the room: State policymakers are weighing a crackdown. In sports gambling hotbed New Jersey, for example, state lawmaker Dan Hutchison introduced a bill last week that would ban "microbets" — that is, live wagers on individual plays. That could include balls and strikes in baseball games — the category of bets that social media sleuths have flagged as a potential issue with Clase and Ortiz. "We're likely to see more calls for regulation in this space," gaming law expert Stephen Piepgrass, partner at law firm Troutman Pepper Locke, tells Axios. Gambling industry consultant Dustin Gouker said the advent of regulated sportsbooks has made it easier for authorities to flag irregular activity that otherwise might've stayed in the shadows via illegal offshore betting apps. "Do we need to be able to bet on what the next pitch is, whether it's a ball or strike? Arguably, not," Gouker, of Closing Line Consulting, tells Axios. "But if you start banning lots of things that are in game and make the product worse, you're going to send that offshore." "Bad actors are going to be bad actors," but " we have companies and sportsbooks working together to make sure that if something untoward is happening in the market, we find out," Gouker says. While professional athletes are richly compensated, they are just as susceptible as the public to problem gambling, says Richard Daynard, president of the Public Health Advocacy Institute at Northeastern University.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Sports betting integrity firms on search for red flags as investigation continues into two Guardian pitchers
As the MLB investigation continues in the sports betting probe into Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, fans are stunned by the reversal of fortunes it means for their team.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
MLB rumors: Dodgers, Blue Jays among contenders facing major trade deadline ‘conundrum'
The post MLB rumors: Dodgers, Blue Jays among contenders facing major trade deadline 'conundrum' appeared first on ClutchPoints. The MLB trade deadline is only days away, and one insider has identified the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays as two clubs that will have to make an intriguing choice regarding how they plan to make additions. The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal recently acknowledged that the Dodgers and Blue Jays' quest to find bullpen help might not be easy. 'Here's the conundrum for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays and all the other contenders with at least a passing interest in adding a top reliever:,' Rosenthal wrote. 'Do you overpay for an elite, controllable late-inning weapon such as the Athletics' Mason Miller, Cleveland Guardians' Emmanuel Clase or Minnesota Twins' Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax?' While Los Angeles and Toronto are at the top of the National League West and American League East respectively, their bullpens have somewhat struggled due to injuries and other deficiencies. The Dodgers are 24th in bullpen ERA. Even though the Blue Jays are 7th in the same statistic, they would likely benefit from adding an impact arm as they try to win a crowded AL East. 'Will the Dodgers, who placed five prospects in Keith Law's latest top 60, leverage their deep farm system for a Clase or Duran when they spent more than $100 million on their 'pen last offseason precisely to avoid making an uncomfortable trade?,' Rosenthal wrote. 'Will the Blue Jays take the plunge to address their most glaring need in what is shaping up to be a special season? How about the Detroit Tigers, whose bullpen ranks 28th in strikeout rate? The New York Yankees, who face the potential losses of Devin Williams and Luke Weaver in free agency? The Philadelphia Phillies, who still need help after signing free agent David Robertson?' There are a number of lingering questions ahead of the deadline. Contenders such as the Blue Jays and Dodgers will likely present answers before the end of the week. Related: Ichiro Suzuki explains frequent trips to Cooperstown even before HOF induction Related: Guardians' Emmanuel Clase has trade status twist due to gambling investigation
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
MLB rumors: Cubs ‘actively monitoring' Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase
The post MLB rumors: Cubs 'actively monitoring' Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Chicago Cubs have positioned themselves for a big MLB trade deadline push. The Cubs set their sights firmly on Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase. Chicago is 'one of the teams most actively monitoring' Clase. That pursuit has quietly simmered since last offseason, according to Francys Romero of Emmanuel Clase is no ordinary reliever. He's piled up 181 career saves, including 23 this season, and boasts a stellar 1.81 ERA since 2021. While 2025 began rocky, he entered May with a 5.87 ERA, he's been dominant since mid-May. He's allowed just four earned runs over 31 ⅔ innings. Add in a team-friendly contract: $4.5 million in 2025, $6 million in 2026, plus club options and buyouts. Clase becomes arguably the most cost-effective elite closer available for the Cubs. Cleveland's stance is clear: they'll listen to offers, but only if blown away. They're balancing a 51-50 record, just a few games out of a Wild Card, and may yet pivot toward buyer mode. With Cade Smith a viable internal backup, Clase is the more tradable asset, should the right deal arrive. For the Cubs, adding Clase would check a major roster need. Their bullpen ERA (3.78) ranks 10th league wide, and while Daniel Palencia has performed well, there's a long standing void at closer. Clase's elite cutter, groundball prowess, and low walk rate could instantly transform Chicago's late inning strategy. But acquiring him won't be cheap. The Guardians plan to demand top prospects and MLB-ready talent in return, while rival bidders like the Mets, Phillies, and Tigers continue to pursue Emmanuel Clase. Still, the Cubs' willingness to deal from their outfield pipeline, prospects like Owen Caissie or Kevin Alcantara, signals they're ready to double down. In short: Chicago's bullpen aspiration is clear, add Emmanuel Clase now, win later. The MLB Trade deadline looms, and if the Cubs want to contend, they may have to pull off a blockbuster. Related: Gary Sheffield says Barry Bonds won't 'hit nothing' at 60 years old Related: MLB rumors: Tigers' 'minimum' trade idea if they don't land Eugenio Suarez
