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Read Full BioCleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz have been indicted, with the two MLB players accused of taking bribes to rig pitches in a series of games from 2023 to 2025.
The US District Attorney’s Office revealed the indictments that had been coming since the two players were suspended by MLB earlier this year. They were both blocked from playing winter baseball in their native country, the Dominican Republic, as “irrefutable evidence” emerged.
That evidence has now been revealed, and in the indictment, Clase is accused of agreeing to rig pitches as far back as May 2023. Ortiz allegedly joined the scheme in June this year, agreeing to throw balls in two games for bribes of $5,000 and $7,000.
All the games flagged include:
| Date | Opponent | Pitcher | Pitch-manipulation detail | Approx. wager |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 19 2023 | New York Mets | Emmanuel Clase | 98.5 mph cutter low and inside (first pitch of outing) to Starling Marte; bet that pitch >94.95 mph. | $27,000 |
| June 3 2023 | Minnesota Twins | Emmanuel Clase | 89.4 mph slider to Ryan Jeffers that bounced short of plate; bet that pitch would be a ball/HBP and slower than 94.95 mph. | $38,000 |
| June 7 2023 | Boston Red Sox | Emmanuel Clase | 91.4 mph slider to Jarren Duran that started the inning; bet was ball/HBP and slower than 94.95 mph. | $58,000 |
| April 12 2025 | Kansas City Royals | Emmanuel Clase | 89.4 mph slider to Bobby Witt Jr. that bounced; bet was ball/HBP and slower than 98.95 mph. | $15,000 |
| May 11 2025 | Philadelphia Phillies | Emmanuel Clase | 99.1 mph cutter to Max Kepler in the dirt; bet was ball/HBP. | $11,000 |
| May 13 2025 | Milwaukee Brewers | Emmanuel Clase | 89.1 mph slider to Jake Bauers that bounced; bet was ball/HBP and slower than 99.45 mph. | $3,500 |
| May 17 2025 | Cincinnati Reds | Emmanuel Clase | 87.5 mph slider to Santiago Espinal that bounced to open the inning; bet ball/HBP and slower than 97.95 mph. | $10,000 |
| May 28 2025 | Los Angeles Dodgers | Emmanuel Clase | Slider bounced behind plate to Andy Pages; bet ball/HBP. | $4,000 |
| June 15 2025 | Seattle Mariners | Luis Ortiz | 86.7 mph slider first pitch of 2nd inning to Randy Arozarena that bounced; bet ball. Bribe $5,000 to Ortiz (and $5,000 to Clase for arranging). | $13,000 |
| June 27 2025 | St. Louis Cardinals | Luis Ortiz | 86.7 mph slider first pitch of 3rd inning to Pedro Pagés that bounced to backstop; bet ball. Bribe $7,000 to each. | $18,000 |
The two pitches thrown by Ortiz were highlighted online after it was revealed that he was suspended pending an investigation.
The player’s attorney, Chris Georgalis, protested his client’s innocence. Georgalis stated Ortiz “has never, and would never, improperly influence a game– not for anyone and not for anything.”
He added, “There is no credible evidence Luis knowingly did anything other than to try to win games with every pitch and every inning. Luis looks forward to fighting these charges in court. The government’s case is weak and circumstantial.”
Some of Clase’s pitches have also been shown online, with the first pitches he threw to start innings noted as suspect.
A lawyer for Clase, Michael J. Ferrara, similarly defended his client. Ferrera said that 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.”
While Ortiz was arrested on Sunday and is due to appear in court on Monday, Clase is not yet in custody.
High Risk, Small Rewards
In total, investigators allege that bettors made $400,000 in profit from the wagers on the two Guardians’ pitchers’ micro bets. Clase has a salary of $4.5 million. Ortiz, while paid less than his compatriot, earns over $780,000 per season. Prosecutors stated that the two pitches he threw in June resulted in co-conspirators earning $60,000.
Similarly, NBA players and coaches have found themselves embroiled in a spot-fixing and poker rigging scandal. Terry Rozier seemingly risked his $26 million a year salary in the NBA to earn a betting syndicate hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Chauncey Billups, meanwhile, is alleged to have been paid $50,000 to participate in a Mafia-run, rigged poker game. The Portland Trail Blazers coach was paid $4.7 million last season.
It begs the question of why these sports stars with multi-million-dollar contracts and almost as much in sponsorships and endorsements would take the risk.
Why Wouldn’t They Do It?
UCLA psychologist Dr. Timothy Fong says that is asking the wrong question. Instead of asking, “Why would they do it?”, Fong argues it is better to ask,”‘Well, why wouldn’t someone do it?’ Because they’re surrounded by availability, access, culture, and things that get them excited.”
In the case of Clase, two bettors are both identified as citizens of the Dominican Republic. It is unclear whether they are old friends of Clase, family members, or part of an organized crime group. As the case proceeds, more may be revealed about their identity.
Jontay Porter is another sports star who risked his career to make money for a betting syndicate. He is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to wire fraud. A betting syndicate and criminal groups allegedly targeted Porter as he was known to be a gambler.
His brother and fellow NBA player Michael Porter Jr. sounded the alarm on the spread of sports betting scandals. He said that the access mentioned by Fong is key, and players will always be tempted to manipulate markets to make money for friends and family.
Speaking on a podcast earlier this year, he stated, “Think about it, if you could get all your homies rich by telling them, ‘Yo, bet $10,000 on my under this one game. I’m going to act like I’ve got an injury, and I’m going sit out. I’m going to come out after three minutes… And they all get a little bag because you did it one game.”
Calls For Ban On Prop Bets
In the wake of the MLB and NBA fixing scandals, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has called for a ban on micro-prop bets. DeWine claims that the MLB and leading sportsbooks support restricting the markets.
The Governor said, “These micro prop bets are just very dangerous. They’re really a great threat to the integrity of sports. And they can occur in baseball, but they can also occur in other sports as well. And they do occur in other sports as well.”
Critics argue that a ban on legitimate sportsbooks will send bettors to unregulated platforms, making it more difficult to detect suspicious betting activity. The rise of sports prediction markets has added another complicated dimension to the sports betting landscape.
Prosecutor Continues Crackdown on Sports Betting Scandals
When announcing the indictment, US Attorney Joseph Nocella stated, “Professional athletes, like Luis Leandro Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase de la Cruz, hold a position of trust—not only with their teammates and their professional leagues, but with fans who believe in fair play.
“As alleged, the defendants sold that trust to gamblers by fixing pitches. 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.”
