Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis L. Ortiz have been indicted on federal charges for allegedly rigging pitches to benefit gamblers in a betting scheme. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York unsealed the indictment on Sunday, accusing the pair of manipulating prop bets on pitch speeds and calls. If convicted, each faces up to 65 years in prison.
The indictment, filed in Brooklyn federal court, details how Clase, 27, began the scheme in May 2023 by agreeing with co-conspirators to throw specific pitches and speeds, allowing bettors to place wagers on outcomes like velocity under certain mph thresholds or balls versus strikes. Prosecutors allege Clase communicated with bettors via text during games and received bribes, benefiting gamblers by at least $400,000. Specific instances include a May 19, 2023, pitch faster than 94.95 mph netting $27,000; a June 3, 2023, slower pitch called a ball for $38,000; and a May 28, 2025, attempted ball that became a strike after the batter swung, leading to exchanged GIFs of disappointment between Clase and a bettor.
Ortiz, 26, joined in June 2025, allegedly throwing intentional balls for $5,000 on June 15 against the Seattle Mariners and $7,000 on June 27 against the St. Louis Cardinals, yielding $26,000 and $37,000 for bettors, respectively. Overall, co-conspirators won at least $450,000 from online platforms. Clase earned a $4.5 million salary in 2025 under a five-year, $20 million contract, while Ortiz made $782,600.
Both were placed on non-disciplinary paid leave in July 2025 after MLB detected unusual betting activity. MLB stated, "MLB contacted federal law enforcement at the outset of its investigation and has fully cooperated throughout the process. We are aware of the indictment and today's arrest, and our investigation is ongoing." The Guardians added, "We will continue to fully cooperate with both law enforcement and Major League Baseball as their investigations continue."
Ortiz's lawyer, Chris Georgalis, denied the allegations: "Luis is innocent... There is no credible evidence Luis knowingly did anything other than try to win games... The government's case is weak and circumstantial." Clase's representatives did not immediately comment. U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. emphasized, "The defendants sold that trust to gamblers by fixing pitches... Today's charges make clear that our Office will continue to vigorously prosecute those who corrupt sports."
This scandal follows MLB's 2024 suspensions of five players for betting violations and comes amid broader concerns over prop bets in legalized sports gambling.
