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CLEVELAND — Emmanuel Clase realizes he can’t please everyone or be flawless every time he takes the mound.

He’s not a pitching machine.

“A couple of days ago I was thinking, ‘Hey, I am human,'” Cleveland’s All-Star closer said Saturday through interpreter Agustin Rivero. “I can make mistakes.”

Lately, he’s made too many.

Baseball’s most dominant reliever last season, Clase’s struggles in the first weeks of this season have seemingly alarmed everyone but the 27-year-old and his teammates. He’s set a high bar for himself but he’s falling short of it so far.

While he’s 2-0 with a save, Clase has given up six runs and 14 hits in seven appearances. On Saturday night, he did nothing to silence the whispers about his slow start by allowing four straight singles to the Kansas City Royals in the ninth inning before finishing off a 6-3 win — Cleveland’s fifth straight.

“He’s just leaving pitches over the middle right now,” said Guardians manager Stephen Vogt, who isn’t exactly sure what’s wrong with Clase. “It’s too early to tell. Emmanuel just needs to get his confidence back.”

Last year, Clase was automatic. He gave up just five earned runs in 74 games over 74 1/3 innings, led the American League in saves (47) for the third straight season, had a miniscule 0.61 ERA (third lowest in MLB history) and finished third in Cy Young voting.

He was virtually unhittable for six months. Then came October.

Clase wasn’t himself in the postseason, first allowing a three-run homer in the ninth inning to Detroit’s Kerry Carpenter in a loss in the Division Series opener.

That was followed by New York’s Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton connecting for back-to-back homers off Clase in Game 3 of the ALCS, a game the Guardians rallied to win in extras. The right-hander then gave up two runs in the ninth in Game 4 and finished the series with a 15.43 ERA in three outings against the Yankees.

When the Guardians needed him most, Clase collapsed, which is why his slow start in 2025 has raised some eyebrows.

Not Vogt’s. He remains confident and supportive of his closer.

“I mean, when you’re perfect for a whole season last year and then you have a couple games where you give up runs, all of a sudden now people are asking about you,” Vogt said before the game. “We talk about all the time with the bullpen guys, you didn’t get any questions about the bullpen last night, right, because we don’t talk about ’em when they do their job.

“So Clase, it’s keep being you. We’re always working on things to get better. We’re always trying to find different ways to be successful, but just be Emmanuel and go pitch.”

Clase said he didn’t dwell on last year’s stunning finish and quickly turned the page.

“I started working out in December and for me that was a new year,” he said. “I’ve been moving forward ever since.”

His velocity has been normal, and Clase’s other metrics all seem in line with past performances. So what’s the problem?

“My body feels good,” he said. “I feel like I’ve been able to compete, obviously not getting the results that we wanted, but it is a blend of maybe not being too used to pitching in the cold like previous years. I feel like I’m going to continue doing my best and trying to get better and better every day.”

While he warms up, Clase is heartened by the faith his teammates have shown. To them, he’s still the best in the business.

“It’s really special,” he said of the support. “They know me. They see my preparation. It’s very important to hear the people that know you so well that see you pitching every day. I appreciate them saying that.”

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College football spring transfer portal: Live news, rumors and analysis

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College football spring transfer portal: Live news, rumors and analysis

College football‘s spring transfer portal period opens Wednesday and runs through Friday, April 25.

More than 2,200 players have elected to transfer this offseason. This period is the last chance for underclassmen to switch teams before the start of the 2025 season and for schools to bolster their roster.

The biggest news of the spring period happened this past weekend when Tennessee parted ways with quarterback Nico Iamaleava. The former four-star recruit, who threw 19 touchdown passes in 2024, was seeking an increase in his NIL package. He is now looking for a new home.

With players officially able to enter their names in the portal, we’re tracking all the latest news and developments.

Transfer portal coverage:
Best available player rankings
What to expect

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Kent State fired Burns for violations of contract

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Kent State fired Burns for violations of contract

Kenni Burns was fired as Kent State‘s football head coach for multiple violations of his contract, including how he used a personal credit card.

Kent State did not provide details on why Burns was fired last Friday, but a copy of Burns’ dismissal letter was obtained by The Associated Press through a public records request.

University president Todd A. Diacon outlined five reasons for cause for Burns’ firing, with the first being “significant, repetitive, and intentional violation (or a pattern of conduct which may constitute or lead to a major violation), as determined by Kent State University after appropriate investigation, of the University’s policies and procedures regarding your P-card (personal card) expenditures.”

Burns was sued last September by Hometown Bank in Kent, Ohio, for $23,852.09 plus interest in unpaid credit card purchases, which exceeded the credit limit of $20,000. Burns did not make minimum monthly payments on the card and was 60 days past due in August, according to a Portage County Court of Common Pleas document.

The case was dismissed a couple months later when Burns made payment.

Burns was put on administrative leave with pay on March 27, a couple of days before the Golden Flashes began spring practices. Athletic director Randale Richmond said in the letter to Burns that he was being investigated for committing deliberate or serious violations of policies outlined by the university.

“My family and I are saddened by the news today,” Burns posted on social media after he was fired. “We are thankful for the relationships and connections we have made with the players, coaches, and staff over the past few years. The team bond we have is not transactional but that of a family. Kent G.R.I.T. will bind us forever, and for that I am thankful. I am proud of you all, and we will be rooting for you this season and beyond.”

Calls and emails by The Associated Press to Lee Hutton III, Burns’ attorney, have not been returned.

Burns was 1-23 in two seasons at Kent State. The team went 0-12 last season, the fifth winless season in school history. Before arriving at Kent State, Burns was the running backs coach at Minnesota.

Offensive coordinator Mark Carney will serve as the interim coach for the upcoming season with a national search taking place at the end of the year.

Kent State opens its season on Aug. 30 against Merrimack, a Football Championship Subdivision foe.

The Golden Flashes schedule gets more difficult after that, including road games against Texas Tech (Sept. 6), Florida State (Sept. 20) and Oklahoma (Oct. 4).

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Badgers lose starting LT Heywood to ACL tear

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Badgers lose starting LT Heywood to ACL tear

MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin offensive tackle Kevin Heywood is expected to miss all of the upcoming season after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in spring practice.

Heywood, the Badgers’ projected starter at left tackle, hurt his knee in practice Thursday. Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell revealed the severity of the injury on Tuesday.

“That was one that’s going to be really difficult and tough, but it’s also part of the game,” Fickell said. “We’ve been fortunate up front in the last two seasons to have those guys prepared and be able to last through the season. Now we’re going to have to figure out how we’re going to manage some of that and move some other guys around and expect some other guys to step up, whether it’s Leyton Nelson, an Emerson Mandell, guys like that have got to step in.”

Wisconsin had benefited from remarkable stability on its offensive line during the first two years of Fickell’s tenure.

The Badgers had the same starting offensive line for each of its 12 games last year, with Jack Nelson at left tackle, Joe Brunner at left guard, Jake Renfro at center, Joe Huber at right guard and Riley Mahlman at right tackle. Brunner, Renfro and Mahlman are back this year.

Wisconsin also had the same starting offensive line for all 12 of its regular-season games in 2023, with Nelson at left tackle, Huber at left guard, Tanor Bortolini at center, Michael Furtney at right guard and Mahlman at right tackle. The only change that season came in the ReliaQuest Bowl loss to LSU, with Renfro getting to start after missing the entire regular season with an injury to his lower left leg.

Heywood was expected to take over this season for Nelson, who had started at left tackle each of the last three years. Heywood had participated in all 12 games for Wisconsin last year while playing special teams and making occasional appearances on offense.

His injury represents a setback for a Wisconsin team seeking to bounce back after its streak of 22 consecutive winning seasons and bowl appearances ended last year. The Badgers finished 5-7 last season and lost their final five games.

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