Emmanuel Clase Struggles in Guardians' ALCS Loss

Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase has faced significant struggles during the postseason, allowing eight runs in just seven innings, including a crucial blown save in Game 4 of the AL Championship Series against the New York Yankees. After a remarkable regular season where he led the AL with 47 saves and a 0.61 ERA, Clase has been unable to replicate that success in October, contributing to the Guardians being on the brink of elimination, trailing the series 3-1. In back-to-back games, he surrendered key home runs, allowing the Yankees to capitalize late in the game and score in the ninth inning. Despite these challenges, Guardians players continue to express their confidence in Clase, highlighting his past accomplishments and urging him to rebound. The team has shown resilience, having previously overcome a similar situation in Game 3, but the pressure is mounting as they face a steep uphill battle to stay in the playoffs. Historically, teams leading 3-1 in best-of-seven series have a high success rate in closing out the series, making the Guardians' situation increasingly precarious.