Guardians Pitchers Under Investigation No Concern for Clubhouse

The Cleveland Guardians had a pair of pitchers placed on administrative leave in July after Major League Baseball began investigating suspicious activity involving sports gambling in games in which Luis Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase appeared.

But their specter isn’t looming over the Cleveland clubhouse.

“They’re gone,” Guardians closer Cade Smith told Bob Nightengale of USA Today. “We don’t know if they’re coming back. But we have no choice but to forget about it and move on.”

Nightengale reports that Ortiz and Clase have essentially disappeared from the Guardians clubhouse, as if they were never there.

The league’s investigation into the incidents has placed Ortiz and Clase on leave until Aug. 31. With the swiftness with which Shohei Ohtani was cleared during the investigation surrounding him, there may be concern as to whether Ortiz or Clase will suit up for a major league team again.

According to Nightengale, it is likely that investigators extend their leave through the end of the season and into the winter as they diligently look into the circumstances. The pitchers were key pieces of the Guardians team, and their future in Major League Baseball is in the balance.

While this has happened, the Guardians climbed back into the playoff race, but then they lost eight of their last 10 and sat five games back of the final wild card spot on Monday.

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