Despite our warnings, Emmanuel Clase has a 284.36 ADP through the first 11 NFBC Draft Champions leagues drafted for the 2026 season. In these drafts, he has a minimum pick of 89 and a maximum selection at 585th overall. After finishing 2025 on non-disciplinary leave, he was indicted for his involvement with gamblers.
Beginning with Jeff Passan’s article for ESPN:
And continues:
Noting innocence before being proven guilty, things do not look great for Clase. As Zach Meisel of The Athletic notes, a lifetime ban could ensue:
It’s possible he threw his last pitch for the organization on July 28 while recording his 24th save of the season, and his 181st for the Guardians. No reliever has recorded more since 2021, with Josh Hader (165) and Kenley Jansen (164) a distant second and third in the category despite Clase’s season being cut short.
In the same 11 drafts, Cade Smith has a 61.73 ADP with a minimum pick of 49 and a maximum pick of 84, but this news may make his price point in this format rise in the coming weeks. He is one of three relievers with at least 100 strikeouts in the last two seasons, joining Mason Miller and Bryan Abreu. Smith also posted a 4-1 record while converting 13 of 16 save chances following his teammates’ placement on administrative leave. During this timeframe, he ranked sixth in saves, seventh in innings pitched (29), sixth in strikeouts (39), third in K-BB percentage (33.6 percent), third in SIERA (1.80), and 25th in swinging strike rate (15.6 percent).
Clarity should emerge before the start of the upcoming season, but Cleveland will be moving on from Clase; fantasy owners should follow suit.
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