Clase Makes MLB Debut for Rangers
Kinston, N.C. - Former Wood Ducks reliever Emmanuel Clase made his Major League debut for the Texas Rangers, Sunday, becoming the ninth player in team history to make it to The Show.
Clase entered for Pedro Payano in the fifth inning, with two on and one out, and he was able to get a flyout and groundout to get out of the inning, stranding the inherited runners on base. He then came back out and worked a scoreless sixth inning. Clase did give up a two out walk, but bounced back to fan Gordon Beckham for his first Major League strikeout.
The right-hander's final line was 1.2 scoreless inning with no hits allowed, on a walk and a strikeout. He was in line for the victory until an unearned run tied the game in the seventh. The Rangers ultimately won the ballgame, 9-4. Clase was consistently clocked in the upper 90s on the radar gun, topping out at 101 on the radar gun.
A native of Rio San Juan, D.R., Clase began the season with Down East, where he did not allow a run over seven innings, striking out 11, before being promoted to Double-A, Frisco, April 23.
The right-hander was acquired by the Rangers from San Diego in exchange for catcher Brett Nicholas on May 7, 2018. Clase finished his 2018 campaign with Spokane, posting a 0.64 ERA in 22 appearances. He struck out 27 in 28.1 innings with the Indians last season.
Clase was originally signed by the Padres as an international free agent in 2015. He becomes the fourth player to go from Down East all the way to the big league level in a single season, joining Peter Fairbanks to do so in 2019.