The Cleveland Guardians reliever Emmanuel Clase was sidelined amid a gambling speculation that shook the MLB and cast uncertainty over the star’s future. Clase, with his teammate Luis Ortiz, was placed on paid leave by the league in mid-season and cut short what could have been another elite season on the field. The 2 Guardian stars’ sudden removal came just as the team was clawing its way back in postseason contention, and it left the fans wondering if MLB’s most elite closer had thrown his last pitch of 2025.

In the second week of October, insider Hector Gomez delivered a new update on Twitter. “SOURCE: Emmanuel Clase will never pitch in MLB again. The gambling evidence found against him is irrefutable.” This statement ended months of speculation with a career-terminating conclusion. However, barely a week after his MLB ban, Clase is set to return to the mound.

Venezuelan reporter, Daniel Álvarez-Montes, posted on Twitter, “Breaking news: The Tiburones de La Guaira and the Dominican pitcher, Emmanuel Clase, have reached an agreement for his participation in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League… He still does not have a date of arrival in the country. He is in the process of arranging that.”

The news marks Clase’s first confirmed appearance since his MLB leave. However, multiple fans are still wondering how Clase could play in that country when the Guardians star was banned from participating in home country’s Dominican Winter League.

Those concerns have a layered answer. As per ESPN’s Enrique Rojas, Ortiz and Close were banned by the LIDOM, which independently denied the 2 stars’ registration to participate for Estrellas. However, MLB did not impose that ban on the star’s and from this it is clear that Clause was free to look for other scopes which helped him to get the deal with Venezuela.

Such a move has provided the star a second chance to rebuild his reputation on the field while speculations continue in the background. Although there is still no timeline for Clase’s MLB return, he is not done with baseball yet.

While he is getting prepared to return to the field, the mental aftermath of the star’s absence still lingers in the Guardians. After Clase and Ortiz’s removal, some stars like Cade Smith and Carlos Santana opened up earlier, related to the gap left behind.

Guardians teammates’ reaction to Clase’s debatable absence earlier

Talking to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, Cade Smith confirmed that the truth was brutal. “They’re gone. We don’t know if they’re coming back. But we have no choice but to forget about it and move on.” Forced into the closer’s role, Smith’s comment mirrored both respect for Clase’s dominance and the annoyance of uncertainty that hangs over the roster.

Carlos Santana reflected the same belief, but added his own distinctive flair: “I’ve talked to them a little bit,” he stated. “I hope they’ll be okay. But I don’t know what happened. None of us do.” His words highlighted how less the players were told as MLB’s investigation lingered, leaving them posing empathy with professionalism.

Even as Cleveland’s season rolled out, losing seven of their last eight games to be eliminated from the playoffs, players remained loyal towards their embattled team members. Santana’s message wraps it up the best way possible: “No matter what, we’ll be friends.” Now, with Clase’s return set in motion abroad, the Guardians’ franchise can only watch and hope the once-dominant closer finds his way back, both on and off the ground.