Who: Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz. When/Where: Indictment unsealed Sunday at a Brooklyn, N.Y., federal courthouse. What: A 23‑page federal indictment charges both men with participating in a scheme to predetermine certain pitches tied to online wagers. Result: Ortiz was arrested in Boston and will appear in court Monday; Clase, who is out of the country, was not in custody. Both have been on paid leave since July and face multiple federal counts carrying up to 65 years in prison if convicted.
Key Takeaways
- The indictment, unsealed Sunday, charges wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery, and money laundering conspiracy.
- If convicted on every count, each pitcher faces a combined statutory maximum of up to 65 years behind bars: 20 years (wire fraud), 20 years (honest services wire fraud), 5 years (influence of sporting contests), and 20 years (money laundering).
- Prosecutors say the scheme began with Clase in or around May 2023; Ortiz allegedly joined in June 2025.
- The document attributes more than $400,000 in winnings to bets tied to Clase’s conduct and more than $60,000 to bets tied to Ortiz.
- The indictment alleges arranged payments: bettors agreed to pay Ortiz $12,000 for throwing pre‑determined pitches and Clase $12,000 for arranging the plan; Clase also allegedly withdrew $50,000 in cash before one game and sent $15,000 to a co‑conspirator to fund wagers.
- Ortiz was arrested in Boston on Sunday; Clase was not detained and is reported to be outside the U.S.
- MLB placed both players on non‑disciplinary paid leave (Ortiz in early July, Clase on July 28) while investigations continued; the league says it cooperated with federal authorities.
Background
Major League Baseball and federal investigators began scrutinizing irregular prop‑bet activity tied to specific outings after the Ohio Casino Control Commission flagged suspicious wagering in late June. The league and the players’ union agreed to a non‑disciplinary paid leave for Ortiz on July 3 while MLB examined whether betting patterns aligned with on‑field actions. Clase was placed on similar leave July 28, three days before MLB’s trade deadline; at that time the Guardians had reportedly been fielding offers for their closer.
MLB’s rulebook includes strict prohibitions on players betting on the sport and engaging with illegal bookmakers. Rule 21d(2) makes a player who bets on baseball games in which they have a duty to perform permanently ineligible; Rule 21d(3) permits penalties for placing bets with illegal bookmakers. Those rules are displayed in every clubhouse and have been central to MLB’s internal response while federal authorities took the lead on criminal charges.
Main Event
The 23‑page indictment unsealed in Brooklyn alleges a coordinated effort to make certain pitches predictable for bettors. Prosecutors say Clase sometimes delivered the preplanned pitch on the first pitch of an at‑bat and typically threw well outside the strike zone—sometimes in the dirt—so the pitch would not be called a strike. The indictment further states that Clase occasionally provided money to bettors in advance and sometimes received payments in return.
Ortiz is accused of colluding with co‑conspirators before starts on June 15 and June 27 to throw specified balls. According to the charging document, the bettors agreed to pay Ortiz $12,000 for throwing those pitches and to pay Clase $12,000 for arranging the scheme. The indictment also alleges that Clase withdrew $50,000 in cash before the June 27 game and transferred $15,000 to a co‑conspirator to place wagers tied to Ortiz’s predetermined pitch.
Federal prosecutors say the alleged conduct defrauded both the Guardians and Major League Baseball of honest services and victimized online wagering platforms where the bets were placed. Ortiz was arrested Sunday in Boston; he is scheduled for an initial court appearance on Monday. Clase was not taken into custody as of early Sunday afternoon and is reported by law enforcement sources to be outside the country.
Analysis & Implications
Legally, the indictment ties traditional fraud statutes to sports‑integrity rules. Honest services wire fraud is frequently used in public corruption and corporate fraud prosecutions; applying it here frames the alleged conduct as a breach of a team’s and league’s fiduciary expectations. If prosecutors can prove an explicit quid pro quo and coordinated communications with bettors, that will strengthen their criminal case; absent clear transactional records or cooperating witnesses, the government may depend on circumstantial evidence from timing, unexplained transfers, and betting logs.
For MLB and the Guardians, the case raises immediate reputational and operational challenges. The defenders of the sport’s integrity will need to show swift cooperation with law enforcement and transparent internal reviews to limit erosion of fan trust. The Guardians already lost transaction flexibility when Clase was placed on leave before the trade deadline, weakening roster planning for a team that expected both pitchers to play central roles.
Economically, targeted prop bets have become a major channel for corrupted value if on‑field conduct can be reliably influenced. Prosecutors allege six‑figure winnings tied to a small number of preplanned plays; even relatively modest payments to players can yield outsized returns for coordinated bettors. That asymmetry increases incentives for bad actors to seek inside influence and for leagues to intensify monitoring of betting markets and player financials.
Comparison & Data
| Item | Alleged Amount / Date |
|---|---|
| Clase‑related bettor winnings | More than $400,000 |
| Ortiz‑related bettor winnings | More than $60,000 |
| Agreed payments to pitchers (per indictment) | $12,000 to Ortiz; $12,000 to Clase (arranger) |
| Cash withdrawal by Clase (alleged) | $50,000 before June 27 game |
The table summarizes the key numerical allegations in the indictment. These figures, if corroborated at trial, would illustrate how concentrated betting returns can be relative to the amounts reportedly exchanged with players. The indictment and related investigative notices also link action timing—first pitches and pre‑start communications—to observable spikes in specific prop bets identified by regulators.
Reactions & Quotes
“Their actions betrayed the sport and defrauded the online betting platforms,”
Joseph Nocella Jr., United States Attorney, E.D.N.Y. (paraphrased)
Prosecutors framed the indictment as an attack on the integrity of baseball, emphasizing the breach of trust toward teams, leagues and fans. The statement by the U.S. attorney’s office highlighted the criminal counts and the intended message that corruption in sports will be prosecuted vigorously.
“Emmanuel is innocent of all charges and looks forward to clearing his name in court,”
Michael Ferrara, agent for Emmanuel Clase (paraphrased)
Clase’s agent issued a short denial, stressing the player’s commitment to baseball and intent to contest the charges in court. That statement reiterates a common defense strategy—contesting culpability while preparing for legal proceedings.
“Luis Ortiz is innocent of the charges related to two pitches he threw,”
Chris Georgalis, attorney for Luis Ortiz (paraphrased)
Ortiz’s lawyer told reporters his client never knowingly took part in wrongdoing and that prior transfers were lawful, calling the government’s case weak and circumstantial. The defense additionally noted that interactions with teammates reviewed by investigators did not implicate Ortiz.
Unconfirmed
- Precise identities and number of all alleged co‑conspirators beyond the two named players remain unconfirmed in public filings.
- Specific details about where Clase was located when the indictment was unsealed are based on law enforcement sources and have not been publicly verified by the player.
- The degree to which other Guardians personnel or players might have been aware of or involved in the scheme has not been established.
- Some transactional records referenced in the indictment have not been made public; the evidentiary strength those documents provide has not been assessed outside filings.
Bottom Line
This indictment represents a pivotal escalation from league discipline to federal criminal exposure for alleged pitch‑manipulation tied to betting. The charges, if proven, would mark one of the more significant integrity breaches in modern American team sports, given the stature of the players involved and the alleged monetary scale.
For prosecutors, the case will turn on demonstrating an intentional agreement between players and bettors, corroborating transfers and communications, and showing the causal link between on‑field acts and wagering outcomes. For MLB, the immediate priorities are cooperation with law enforcement, internal review, and restoring confidence in competitive fairness—measures that will shape policy and monitoring around betting for years to come.
Sources
- The Athletic via The New York Times — reporting on indictment and statements (media reporting)