Guardians’ Emmanuel Clase, Luis Ortiz indicted on charges linked to illegal sports betting – The New York Times

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Emmanuel Clase, pictured, and Luis Ortiz have been on paid leave since July. Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images
Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz have been indicted on a host of charges tied to allegedly rigging pitches thrown during Major League Baseball games, according to a 23-page indictment unsealed Sunday at a Brooklyn, N.Y., courthouse.
The two have been on paid leave from the league since July and now face charges of wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery and money laundering conspiracy related to a scheme to predetermine certain pitches that netted bettors hundreds of thousands in winnings.
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Ortiz was arrested Sunday in Boston and will appear in court Monday. Clase was not in custody as of early Sunday afternoon; he is out of the country, according to a law enforcement source.
If convicted on all charges, the pitchers face up to 65 years in prison: 20 years for wire fraud conspiracy, 20 years for honest services wire fraud conspiracy, five years for conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery and 20 years for money laundering conspiracy.
The activity allegedly began with Clase in or around May 2023. Ortiz joined in around June 2025. According to the indictment, Clase’s conspirators totaled more than $400,000 in winnings. Ortiz’s totaled more than $60,000.
Clase allegedly coordinated with the co-conspirators on occasion during MLB games. The investigation found he often threw the rigged pitches on the first pitch of an at-bat, and typically well outside the strike zone, even in the dirt, to ensure the pitch would not be called a strike. He sometimes received “bribes and kickbacks from the bettors,” the document reads, and “sometimes provided money to the bettors in advance to fund the scheme.”
Ortiz allegedly colluded with co-conspirators before his starts on June 15 and June 27 to throw pre-determined balls. According to the indictment, the bettors agreed to pay Ortiz $12,000 for throwing the rigged pitches, and Clase $12,000 for arranging the ploy. Clase withdrew $50,000 in cash before the June 27 contest and sent $15,000 to a co-conspirator to wager on Ortiz’s pre-determined pitch.
“As alleged, the defendants sold that trust to gamblers by fixing pitches,” said Joseph Nocella Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, in a statement. “In doing so, the defendants deprived the Cleveland Guardians and Major League Baseball of their honest services. They defrauded the online betting platforms where the bets were placed. And they betrayed America’s pastime. 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. Today’s charges make clear that our Office will continue to vigorously prosecute those who corrupt sports through illegal means.”
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Clase’s agent, Michael Ferrara, said, “Emmanuel Clase has devoted his life to baseball and doing everything in his power to help his team win. Emmanuel is innocent of all charges and looks forward to clearing his name in court.”
The league provided the following statement: “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.”
Ortiz’s attorney, Chris Georgalis, sent the following statement to The Athletic: “Luis Ortiz is innocent of the charges related to two pitches he threw. He has never, and would never, improperly influence a game — not for anyone and not for anything. Luis is and always has been a fierce competitor. He has always given his best effort in every inning of every game. Those who have played with him know this. And the government’s investigation, including discussions with Luis’ teammates, supports this as well.
“As Luis’ defense team extensively explained and documented to the government before these charges were brought, Luis’ payments and other transfers of money between him and individuals in the Dominican Republic were for lawful activities. Notably, the indictment completely lacks any alleged evidence connecting Luis to these alleged bettors or demonstrating any purposeful involvement in a scheme.
“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.”
It’s a rapid fall from grace for Clase, 27, who was recently the preeminent closer in baseball, a Cy Young Award finalist and perennial All-Star. The Guardians were banking on Ortiz, 26, becoming a staple of their rotation after they acquired him from the Pittsburgh Pirates last December.
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The investigation began in late June, when the Ohio Casino Control Commission was alerted to irregular betting activity on certain prop bets tied to Ortiz’s outings. On July 3, MLB and the players’ union agreed to place Ortiz on non-disciplinary paid leave while the league examined whether Ortiz was dictating the outcome of certain pitches in alignment with those particular betting patterns.
Clase joined his teammate on non-disciplinary paid leave July 28, three days before the trade deadline. The Guardians had been fielding trade offers for their closer, multiple league sources told The Athletic. When he was placed on paid leave, Clase became ineligible to be traded.
The league assured the Guardians at that time that no additional players or club personnel “were expected to be impacted” by the investigation. The league continued to extend the absences of Ortiz and Clase, first through the end of August and then indefinitely.
The Guardians provided the following statement: “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.”
Rule 21d(2) in the MLB handbook states: “Any player, umpire or club or league official or employee who shall bet any sum whatsoever upon any baseball game in connection with which the bettor has a duty to perform, shall be declared permanently ineligible.”
Rule 21d(3) states: “Any player, umpire or club or league official or employee who places bets with illegal bookmakers or agents for illegal bookmakers, shall be subject to such penalty as the Commissioner deems appropriate in light of the facts and circumstances of the conduct.”
Those rules are posted in every MLB clubhouse.
“I think we do a great job of informing,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said in late July. “As a player, you know exactly what the parameters are.”
“I don’t think it’s a question of people not knowing the rules,” Guardians president Chris Antonetti said.
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Zack Meisel is a senior writer for The Athletic covering the Cleveland Guardians and Major League Baseball. Zack was named the Ohio Sportswriter of the Year for 2021 and 2024 by the National Sports Media Association. He has been on the beat since 2011 and is the author of four books, including “Cleveland Rocked,” the tale of the 1995 team. Follow Zack on Twitter @ZackMeisel

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