The Guardians gave the ball to Cade Smith in the ninth inning with a one-run lead. The Rockies took over from there in a Cleveland loss.

The Cleveland Guardians' postseason chances took a major hit on Monday when closer Emmanuel Clase was placed on non-disciplinary paid leave, joining starting pitcher Luis Ortiz on MLB's administrative leave list amid gambling investigations.

Bieber is still recovering from his Tommy John surgery that he underwent well over a year ago, but is inching closer to a big league return with each rehab appearance. His next minor league start is on Tuesday night with the Akron RubberDucks, which Rosenthal noted “is expected to be heavily scouted.”

ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan said that the Padres are considered a top fit for Kwan in the event that the Guardians trade him. While they aren’t jumping off the wall to deal the two-time All-Star, the Guardians — who are limping to a 52-53 record so far this season — would be silly to not listen to offers.

The Rockies took the series opener, 8-6, rallying in the top of the 9th inning scoring four runs to take the game after the Guardians scored five in the 7th. Cleveland is now 1-4 over the last five games, while Colorado is heating up with six wins over the previous 10 games.

Preview, lineups, and expert betting tips for the MLB clash between Cleveland Guardians vs Colorado Rockies on July 29, 2025.

Dissecting the myth of the interchangeable closer as Cade Smith's ninth-inning struggle highlights a void left by Emmanuel Clase.

Friday's Cleveland Guardians at Kansas City Royals game was postponed due to inclement weather. It will be made up as part of a doubleheader Saturday.