Guardians announce Emmanuel Clase's replacement amid closer placed on leave

Matt Sullivan

Guardians announce Emmanuel Clase's replacement amid closer placed on leave image

The Cleveland Guardians were dealt a blow when All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase was placed on administrative leave by MLB amid a sports betting investigation. Clase will be on administrative leave until August 31st.

To take his place on the MLB roster, the Guardians announced that they recalled left-handed pitcher Tim Herrin. The 28-year-old reliever is back up in the Majors after a stint in the minor leagues this season.

Herrin is in his third year with the Guardians, and so far, has been decent this season. He has a 3.99 ERA in 37 games with a 4-2 record, 28 strikeouts, 22 walks, three home runs allowed, and a 1.500 WHIP in 29.1 innings.

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While he's struggled a bit this season, last season, he was incredible. Across 65.2 innings of work in 2024, Herrin had a 1.92 ERA with 68 strikeouts, 25 walks, two home runs allowed, and a 0.975 WHIP.

But, Herrin's first season was rough, with a 5.53 ERA in 27.2 innings. His 2024 season might be a mirage, especially if he can't rebound this season. And with him taking Clase's spot, his role on the team is huge.

The Guardians are losing Clase for the next month, and Herrin is taking his spot in the bullpen. While Cade Smith is likely to take over closing duties, the Guardians will see Herrin get more work out of the bullpen for the second half of the year in Cleveland.

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Matt Sullivan

Matt Sullivan is a freelance writer for The Sporting News, predominantly covering MLB. Matt is a native of Pennsylvania and has worked with Athlon Sports, Last Word on Sports, and other outlets.