Clase in midseason form in spring debut
TEMPE, Ariz. — Emmanuel Clase used the primary of his 9 scheduled Spring Training appearances to work on his 91 mph slider. Just say the simplest nearer within the American League final season continues to be on his sport.
Clase threw 12 pitches, eight sliders, and retired all three batters he confronted within the third inning of Cleveland’s 6-0 loss to the Angels on Monday. He ended with a flourish, getting Livan Soto trying on a 2-2 slider to finish the inning after a pair of groundouts.
“They were doing what I wanted them to do,” Clase mentioned of his sliders. “The last pitch I used, just what I wanted.”
The Guardians felt no urgency to get Clase into video games, partially as a result of he reported in such good condition. He threw about 10 bullpen periods earlier than arriving in camp and threw three extra, in addition to a number of reside batting observe periods, after touchdown in Goodyear.
“It is a way to combine what we did last year but also to improve it and make it better,” Clase mentioned of the spring plan.
Clase had a lot success on the prime of the strike zone final season that Cleveland is working to make that extra part of his repertoire.
“The one thing that showed itself last year was when he accidentally got to the top of the strike zone and above, hitters really couldn’t pull the trigger or got beat,” pitching coach Carl Willis mentioned.
“We’re working on establishing the ability for him to do that when he wants to do it as opposed to just the occasional accident. I think that will help in terms of maybe changing some eye levels a little bit and give him another area of the strike zone to attack. With the action he gets on it, it’s a tough pitch to hit.”
Clase has sometimes elevated the ball in reside batting observe and likes what he has seen.
“We’ll try to incorporate it this year,” Clase mentioned. “I’ve been working on it in the bullpens and the live BP and we’re getting good results so far.”
• Aaron Civale gave up a solo dwelling run to Hunter Renfroe on a first-pitch fastball main off the second inning however retired the opposite six batters he confronted. He threw 27 pitches and struck out two, each on offspeed pitches, one swinging and one trying.
“It was good to get back on that five-day routine and face hitters again,” mentioned Civale, who threw one inning in his first look. “Just getting used to the game of baseball again.”
• Shane Bieber is scheduled to make his subsequent begin in a “B” sport on Thursday towards the Padres at San Diego’s coaching facility, with catcher Mike Zunino behind the plate.
“Bieber is mature enough that he will get what he needs to get out of it,” Guardians supervisor Terry Francona mentioned. “Then we can see the [younger] guys in a regular game, which helps also.”
Bieber, Cleveland’s doubtless Opening Day starter, has given up one hit in 5 scoreless innings throughout two appearances this spring, with three strikeouts and a stroll.
