Former Red Sox star refuses to give Yankees credit for getting to Emmanuel Clase

The New York Yankees have clinched their first World Series berth since 2009, defeating the Cleveland Guardians 4-1 in the ALCS. Their dominant postseason run has been bolstered by strong performances from ace pitchers Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon and timely hitting. However, the Yankees' success has not come without some skepticism, particularly from former Red Sox pitcher Jonathan Papelbon, who questioned how the Yankees were able to get the best of the Guardians' elite closer Emmanuel Clase.

Papelbon, unwilling to credit the Yankees for their offensive success, speculated via social media that Clase might have been tipping his pitches. Clase, who had a stellar regular season with a league-leading 47 saves and a microscopic 0.66 ERA, gave up five earned runs all season across 74 games. His dominant cutter, averaging nearly 100 MPH, and an equally powerful fastball made him a nightmare for opposing hitters — except for the Yankees, who seemed to have his number in this series.

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Jonathan Papelbon thinks tipped pitches, not Yankees hitters, are reason for Emmanuel Clase's postseason struggles

In Game 3 of the ALCS, Clase entered in the eighth inning to attempt a four-out save with Cleveland up 3-1. After three 99 MPH cutters to Aaron Judge, the Yankees' captain crushed a two-run homer to tie the game. Moments later, Giancarlo Stanton homered off an 87 MPH slider, giving the Yankees a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

The very next night in Game 4, Clase once again found himself in a high-pressure situation. With the game tied 6-6 in extra innings, Clase allowed two runs on three hits — as many earned runs as he had allowed all season in 47 games. These back-to-back struggles seemed uncharacteristic, leading some to wonder if the Yankees had figured something out about Clase’s mechanics.

Stephen Vogt, manager of the Guardians, acknowledged after Game 4 that the Yankees had a solid game plan. "Credit to them, they’ve had a great approach off of him," Vogt said, via the team's official Game 4 press conference. "They take a really good approach against your pitchers… they really capitalized."

With the Yankees heading to the World Series, the Guardians' postseason heartbreak continues, marking 75 seasons without a championship. Clase will now have the offseason to assess what went wrong, but the Yankees' ability to break through in crucial moments will be remembered as a key factor in their ALCS victory.