The Cleveland Guardians are only one game back of the Detroit Tigers for the AL Central lead, and have already taken the third playoff spot from the Houston Astros in the American League.
From being down 15.5 games in the division and sitting far back in the wild card standings, this comeback has been improbable and remarkable. They still need to close out the final six games strong, but if they do, it'd be one of baseball's greatest comebacks.
This would be a legendary comeback for the Guardians for so many reasons, one of the main being the MLB's investigation into Luis Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase. What makes their absence and the Guardians' comeback even more impressive is how the Guardians' postseason berth impacts Ortiz and Clase while on leave.
How Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz benefit from the Guardians making the postseason
As Bob Nightengale of USA Today points out, the Guardians' making the postseason would give both Ortiz and Clase a chance to earn some extra money for their contributions to the team this season.
"The players (Clase and Ortiz), however, do have a say in voting on playoff shares, and it will be fascinating to see if they get a full share if the Guardians reach the postseason." Nightengale writes.
While neither Clase nor Ortiz can pitch for the Guardians in the postseason, they could still earn some of the revenue from the team making the postseason. Of course, the investigation will complicate things, as neither has pitched for Cleveland in a while.
Ortiz went on leave at the end of June, while Clase went on leave at the end of July. Ortiz appeared in 16 games for the Guardians this season, while Clase, coming out of the bullpen, appeared in 48 games.
In his outings for Cleveland this season, Ortiz had a 4.36 ERA and a 4-9 record with 0.6 WAR, while Clase had a 3.23 ERA with 24 saves, a 5-3 record, and 0.7 WAR.
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At the time of their departures, the Guardians were still well behind the Tigers for the division title and weren't in a good spot to make the postseason. Their absence also created a hole in the rotation and bullpen, which wasn't easily resolved.
While, as Nightengale reports, the Guardians pitchers could still impact their playoff shares, it's hard to imagine what the outcome will look like.
There are plenty of players who come up for brief stints from the minor leagues to help the team throughout the year, and since both Clase and Ortiz played half the season, they can be viewed as part-time players for the Guardians this season.
Now, while the duo doesn't deserve any credit for the improbable comeback, just like how they're on paid leave by MLB at the moment, they still can earn something for the Guardians making the postseason. They contributed to some wins this season, even if it was only in the first half of the year.
For now, the Guardians still have to make the postseason before any final decisions on Ortiz and Clase's postseason shares are made. With six games left, three against Detroit, the Guardians can make some incredible headway as the 2025 season comes to a close.
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