CLEVELAND, Ohio — When Emmanuel Clase, the Guardians’ All-Star closer, was lost for the season due to a gambling investigation, conventional wisdom suggested Cleveland’s playoff hopes went with him. Instead, the team made a strategic pivot that not only salvaged their season but sparked one of baseball’s greatest comebacks — they expanded to a six-man starting rotation.

“The starters stepped up and got them into the sixth inning. Stephen Vogt talked about that and talked about how really the starters made the difference in helping them out after losing Clase,” explained Joe Noga on the Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast .

See Full Page