Showing off devastating cutter Cleveland is looking at Clase as an impact reliever who could pitch in the late innings this season, Terry Pluto of Cleveland.com reports. Impact Pluto speculates that Clase, whose cutter has touched 99 mph this spring, could work in the seventh and eighth innings this season. Clase's goal is to be the team's closer, per Zack Meisel of The Athletic. Manager Terry Francona has already suggested that James Karinchak could be used to get outs at the highest-leverage moments of the game, even if that happens prior to the ninth inning, so it could be any of Clase, Nick Wittgren, Phil Maton or Blake Parker who ends up with the save in those instances.
MARCH 13, 2021 • ROTOWIRE