Major League Baseball just announced that Cleveland Indians pitcher Emmanuel Clase has received an 80-game suspension without pay after testing positive for Boldenone, a performance-enhancing substance, in violation of Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.
Clase pitched in 21 games for the Texas Rangers last year, posting a 2.31 ERA and a K/BB ratio of 21/6 in 21.3 innings. His calling card is triple-digit heat, which is what made the Indians pull the trigger on the trade of Corey Kluber back in December, with Clase and Delino DeShields Jr. as the return.
Now they’ll be without him for what will almost certainly be the vast majority of a truncated at best 2020 season.
The Indians have released a statement:
We were disappointed to learn of today’s suspension of Emmanuel Clase for violating Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. We fully support Major League Baseball’s policy and its efforts to eliminate performance-enhancing drugs from our game. We have been in contact with Emmanuel, and we will welcome him back after the discipline has been served. Per the protocol outlined by Major League Baseball’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, we will not comment further on the circumstances surrounding this announcement.