CLEVELAND, Ohio — On the fourth day, Emmanuel Clase rested. Thank goodness. Manager Stephen Vogt told reporters that closer Emmanuel Clase would not be available for Monday night’s game against the Yankees because he pitched three straight games over the weekend against the Pirates. Vogt was quick to add that Clase, the two-time winner of the Mariano Rivera award as the American League’s top closer, still owned the ninth inning for the Guardians despite his slow start to the season. “One hundred percent,” said Vogt. “I haven’t even had the thought (about replacing him). Emmanuel Clase has been the best closer in the game for a number of years. He’s getting hit. He’s leaving the ball over the middle more than he should. “But that doesn’t mean he’s not the closer. He’s still the best closer on the planet. There are some things we’re going to continue to work with him on. Emmanuel Clase is going to get the ball in the ninth inning when he’s available.” Vogt would not say who would replace Clase if the Guardians have a save situation Monday night. He has options in Paul Sewald, Tim Herrin, Hunter Gaddis and Cade Smith. “Every night is a different night in the bullpen,” said Vogt. “You know me, there are no roles. Clase is the only one with a role in the bullpen. We matchup to get their hitters out and put our pitchers in a position of strength.” Clase, who converted 47 of 50 save chances last year while forging a 0.61 ERA over 74 1/3 innings, has struggled since opening day. He saved Friday and Saturday’s game against the Pirates, but it looked like he was pitching on egg shells. The egg shells broke Sunday as Clase allowed three runs pn four hits in the ninth inning, turning a 4-1 Cleveland lead into a 4-4 tie. The Guardians won it on Kyle Manzardo’s sacrifice fly and Joey Cantillo’s first career save in the 10th. Clase is 3-0 with a 7.84 ERA (nine earned runs in 8 2/3 innings). He’s saved four games in six chances, but the opposition is hitting .426 against him. In Clase’s time of need, the Yankees are probably the last team he wants to see. This will be the first time the two teams have met since October when the Yankees eliminated the Guardians at Progressive Field in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series. Clase went 0-1 with a 15.43 ERA in that series. He allowed seven hits and four earned runs in 2 1/3 innings. In the regular season last year, Clase allowed five earned runs in 74 1/3 innings. In the eighth inning of Game 3, with the Guardians protecting a 3-1 lead, Clase allowed consecutive two-out homers to Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton to give New York a 4-3 lead. The Guardians came back to win that game in 10 innings on David Fry’s homer, but the eighth inning was emblematic of how the postseason went for Clase. In a lot of ways, those postseason ghosts have followed him into 2025. This is a different Yankee team than last year’s edition that lost the World Series to the Dodgers. Stanton is on the injured list. Juan Soto signed with the Mets, but Judge is still a Yankee and one of the most productive hitters in baseball. He’s hitting .390 (32 for 82) with seven homers and 25 RBI. “Soto is one of the best hitters in the game and Giancarlo is one of the best power hitters in the game,” said Vogt. “They both did a lot of damage against us the last time they were here. “But the Yankees also have Cody Bellinger, an unbelievable left-handed hitter. The Yankees still have a great lineup top to bottom. “When you take those two names out of it (Stanton and Soto), it may sound better for the opposition, but it’s not. This is a very good offensive team.” And Clase, at some point in the series, will most likely have to deal with it.