Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz are facing a series of federal charges after prosecutors accused them of manipulating game pitches in a betting scheme that allegedly generated hundreds of thousands of dollars in gambling profits.
According to a report from ESPN’s Jeff Passan, an indictment unsealed Sunday, Nov. 9, in the Eastern District of New York outlines allegations that the two pitchers — Clase, 27, and Ortiz, 26 — engaged in fraud, conspiracy and bribery conspiracy through a coordinated pitch-rigging operation.
ESPN reported that Ortiz was arrested Sunday in Boston and is scheduled to appear in court Monday, Nov. 10. Clase remains out of custody.
Prosecutors allege that Clase began working with a gambler as early as May 2023, throwing specific pitches to enable strategically placed prop bets. Ortiz was allegedly brought into the scheme in June 2025. According to the indictment, gamblers generated at least $450,000 by betting on the outcomes of pitches thrown by both players, and prosecutors claim that each athlete received payments for their involvement.
Joseph Nocella Jr., the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District, said in a statement to ESPN that Clase and Ortiz “deprived the Cleveland Guardians and Major League Baseball of their honest services” by allegedly participating in the scheme.
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“They defrauded the online betting platforms where the bets were placed. And they betrayed America’s pastime,” Nocella said. “Integrity, honesty and fair play are part of the DNA of professional sports. When corruption infiltrates the sport, it brings disgrace not only to the participants, but damages the public trust in an institution that is vital and dear to all of us.”
In a statement, Ortiz’s lawyer, Chris Georgalis, strongly denied the allegations, asserting that the pitcher “has never, and would never, improperly influence a game — not for anyone and not for anything.”
“There is no credible evidence Luis knowingly did anything other than try to win games, with every pitch and in every inning. Luis looks forward to fighting these charges in court. The government’s case is weak and circumstantial. He will defend himself, and he will prevail,” the statement continued.
Major League Baseball also issued a statement to ESPN, noting: “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 Cleveland Guardians provided a similar response, saying: “We are aware of the recent law enforcement action. We will continue to fully cooperate with both law enforcement and Major League Baseball as their investigations continue.”
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This indictment follows a string of recent high-profile sports betting cases. Just weeks earlier, Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and former Cleveland Cavaliers player Damon Jones were arrested in connection with a large-scale gambling operation with alleged Mafia ties — a case also being prosecuted in the Eastern District of New York.
In June, MLB announced a lifetime ban for Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano after investigators found he placed hundreds of bets on baseball games.
Clase and Ortiz were placed on non-disciplinary paid leave in July after private betting investigators flagged suspicious wagers on two pitches thrown by Ortiz in June.
According to ESPN, the two pitchers could each face up to 20 years in prison for wire fraud conspiracy, 20 years for honest services wire fraud conspiracy, 20 years for money laundering conspiracy and an additional five years for conspiracy to influence sporting events through bribery.
