Santo Domingo – Dominican reliever Emmanuel Clase has not been authorized by the Cleveland Guardians to participate in the Venezuelan winter baseball league. The decision stands while MLB investigates the player for alleged activities related to gambling, according to sources close to the case. Class, who was looking to join the Tiburones de La Guaira, was previously vetoed by the Dominican Republic Professional Baseball League (Lidom) to play with the Estrellas Orientales. This situation led the pitcher to file a lawsuit against Lidom and its president, Vitelio Mejía Ortiz, alleging the violation of his rights.
The MLB commissioner’s office has already communicated this decision to the Tiburones. Both Clase and his teammate Luis Ortiz have been on paid leave since July, after the Ohio Casino Control Commission reported “suspicious betting activity” in Guardians games. Both players, involved in the investigation, were also excluded from the Dominican league. Ortiz has also resorted to legal action to challenge the decision. An internal source from the Dominican winter circuit revealed that the Estrellas Orientales team and Lidom maintain opposing positions regarding this situation. Neither MLB, nor the Cleveland Guardians, nor the players’ union (MLBPA), nor Class representatives have issued comments on the case. The 27-year-old Dominican pitcher has stood out as one of the most outstanding relievers in recent Major League seasons, accumulating more than 120 saves since his debut in 2019.The agreement between MLB and the Caribbean leagues requires the consent of the Major League team and the league itself for a player to participate in a foreign circuit. In this case, the Guardians denied permission.
Source: Alofoke Deportes
