Major League Baseball announced new limits on pitch-level betting markets, capping wagers at $200 and excluding them from parlays, effective immediately across operators covering more than 98% of the U.S. market. The measures follow Sunday's federal indictment of Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz for allegedly rigging pitches to benefit gamblers. The league aims to mitigate integrity risks from these micro-bets on outcomes like balls, strikes, or pitch velocity.
Major League Baseball (MLB) issued a statement on Monday detailing safeguards developed with sportsbook partners to address vulnerabilities in pitch-level betting. These 'micro-bet' markets, which allow wagers on specific pitch outcomes, were capped at $200 per bet and banned from parlays to reduce incentives for misconduct. The changes apply to operators including Bally’s, Bet365, BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings, FanDuel, and others, representing over 98% of the U.S. betting market.
The announcement came one day after U.S. prosecutors in Brooklyn indicted Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, both pitchers for the Cleveland Guardians, on charges of wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery, and money laundering conspiracy. According to the indictment, the players accepted bribes from unnamed gamblers in the Dominican Republic to throw specific pitches, such as balls or those landing in the dirt, enabling bets on pitch speed and outcomes that netted at least $460,000 in winnings.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred emphasized the league's commitment to game integrity in a statement: “Since the Supreme Court decision opened the door to legalized sports betting, Major League Baseball has continuously worked with industry and regulatory stakeholders across the country to uphold our most important priority: protecting the integrity of our games for the fans.” He commended Ohio Governor Mike DeWine for leadership on the issue and praised industry collaboration.
DeWine stated: “By limiting the ability to place large wagers on micro-prop bets, Major League Baseball is taking affirmative steps to protect the integrity of the game and reduce the incentives to participate in improper betting schemes.” FanDuel President Christian Genetski added: “This initiative illustrates our unwavering commitment to building a legal and regulated market that roots out abuses by those who seek to undermine fair competition and damage the integrity of the games we love.”
Attorneys for the players denied the allegations. Luis Ortiz’s lawyer, Chris Georgalis, said: “His client was innocent and ‘has never, and would never, improperly influence a game — not for anyone and not for anything.’” Emmanuel Clase’s lawyer, Michael J. Ferrara, noted: “Emmanuel is innocent of all charges and looks forward to clearing his name in court.”
Ortiz appeared in federal court in Boston on Monday and was released on a $500,000 bond, required to surrender his passport, restrict travel to the Northeast U.S., and avoid contact with potential victims or co-defendants. MLB’s Rule 21 mandates permanent ineligibility for those betting on games in which they perform duties.
