CLEVELAND (AP) Whenever the Cleveland Indians finally get to start
their season they won’t have reliever Emmanuel Clase.
The hard-throwing right-hander was suspended 80 games by Major
League Baseball on Friday for testing positive for a banned
performance-enhancing drug.
Clase was the biggest acquisition by Cleveland in the big offseason
trade that sent two-time Cy Young winner Corey Kluber to the Texas
Rangers. The commissioner’s office said the 22-year-old Clase
tested positive for Boldenone, an anabolic steroid.
Clase was expected to have a major role at the back end of the
Indians’ bullpen this season.
His suspension will not begin until the start of the 2020 regular
season, which has been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. If the
season doesn’t cover 80 games, MLB and the players’ association are
still working out if any carry over will apply for 2021.
The regular season was scheduled to open March 26.
The Indians said they were ”disappointed” by Clase’s suspension.
”We fully support Major League Baseball’s policy and its efforts
to eliminate performance-enhancing drugs from our game,” the team
said in a statement. ”We have been in contact with Emmanuel, and
we will welcome him back after the discipline has been served. ”
The Indians sent Kluber, the ace of their staff for the past five
years, to Texas in December for outfielder Delino DeShields and
Clase, whose fastball has been clocked at over 100 mph. Clase
strained a shoulder muscle in spring training and didn’t appear in
an exhibition game before the virus outbreak shut baseball down.
Clase returned to the Dominican Republic once the season was put on
hold.
He made his debut with the Rangers in August. Clase appeared in 21
games, going 2-3 with a 2.31 ERA. He struck out 21 in 23 1-3
innings.
Clase is scheduled to make $564,800 this season.
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