Indians reliever Emmanuel Clase expected to miss significant time with strained back muscle

Emmanuel Clase (Google Images)

Cleveland Indians relief pitcher Emmanuel Clase of Rio San Juan, Dominican Republic could be out significant time with a strained back muscle according to the Associated Press on Thursday. The injury was found through a recent MRI, and apparently the strained back muscle is giving Clase upper arm discomfort.

Clase pitched the 2019 Major League Baseball regular season with the Texas Rangers. He pitched in 21 games and had two wins and three losses with an earned run average of 2.31, four holds and one save. In 23 1/3 innings pitched, Clase gave up 20 hits, six earned runs, two home runs, six walks, one hit batsman and one wild pitch. He had 21 strikeouts and a WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched) of 1.11.

Clase’s wins came in a 3-2 Rangers win over the Los Angeles Angels on August 20 and in a 3-2 Rangers win over the Seattle Mariners on August 31. Clase’s save came in a 6-3 Rangers win over the Mariners on August 30.

On December 15, Clase and outfielder Delino DeShields of Easton, Maryland were traded from the Rangers to the Indians for starting pitcher Corey Kluber of Birmingham, Alabama and cash. Even though Clase only pitched 21 games for the Rangers in 2019, the Indians have high expectations for Clase based on his excellent earned run average and WHIP from a year ago.

In 2020, the Indians bullpen is expected to be led by closer Brad Hand of Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Indians relievers are currently projected to include Nick Wittgren of Torrance, California, Adam Cimber of Portland, Oregon, Oliver Perez of Culiacan, Mexico, James Karinchak of Walden, New York, Jefry Rodriguez of Bajos de Haina, Dominican Republic, Hunter Wood of Rogers, Arkansas, James Hoyt of Boise, Idaho and Adam Plutko of Upland, California.