A sweeping federal investigation has rocked Major League Baseball, implicating two Cleveland Guardians pitchers—Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz—in a sophisticated betting scheme that spanned from May 2023 through 2025. The scandal, which centers on allegations of bribery and game manipulation, has raised urgent questions about the integrity of professional sports and the vulnerabilities of modern betting markets. Authorities allege that the players accepted cash to rig specific pitches, enabling gamblers to win at least $450,000 on so-called “prop bets”—wagers on granular in-game events such as pitch speed or type.
Inside the Alleged Conspiracy
Federal prosecutors contend that Clase, an All-Star closer, and Ortiz, a starting pitcher, used their insider status to tip off gamblers and alter their on-field performance. The operation reportedly began in May 2023, when Dominican Republic-based bettors approached Clase with bribe offers. On May 19, 2023, Clase threw a 98.5 mph cutter low and inside to New York Mets batter Starling Marte in the 10th inning, generating approximately $27,000 in winnings for the conspirators. The scheme escalated quickly: by June, coordinated phone calls and text messages during games allowed bettors to place highly specific, winning wagers. The operation’s expansion continued in June 2025, when Ortiz allegedly joined the conspiracy, receiving $5,000 to throw an intentional ball during a game against the Seattle Mariners on June 15, with Clase receiving an additional $5,000 for facilitating Ortiz’s involvement. Both pitchers then received $7,000 each for rigging pitches on June 27 against the St. Louis Cardinals.
The conspiracy relied on real-time communication. In April 2025, for example, Clase reportedly spoke directly with a bettor by phone just before taking the mound in a Red Sox game, and minutes later the bettor and associates won approximately $11,000 on a wager that Clase would throw a pitch slower than 97.95 mph. On May 28, Clase agreed to throw a ball in a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, but batter Andy Pages swung and missed, resulting in a strike that cost bettors $4,000 in wagers. After the game, Clase sent text messages to the bettors with images including a man hanging himself with toilet paper and a sad puppy dog face. This pattern of direct coordination persisted for nearly two years, with both pitchers allegedly receiving payments for their roles.
Detection and Investigation
The scheme began to unravel when Major League Baseball’s integrity unit and sportsbook analytics platforms detected unusual betting activity on Guardians games. IC360, a betting analytics service, flagged statistically improbable wagers on specific pitch outcomes—bets that consistently paid off when Clase or Ortiz were on the mound. On June 15, 2025, Ortiz threw a first-pitch ball to Seattle Mariners batter Randy Arozarena starting the second inning in exchange for $5,000 in bribes. Arozarena walked on five pitches, and the Mariners scored four runs in that inning en route to a 6-0 victory. On June 27, 2025, Ortiz threw a first-pitch 95.9 mph sinker to St. Louis Cardinals catcher Pedro Pagés that bounced to the backstop, leading off the third inning in exchange for $7,000 in bribes. Pagés went on to hit a solo home run with an exit velocity of 111.7 mph, traveling 380 feet, with bettors profiting approximately $18,000 from the rigged pitch.
Investigators traced the flow of money through bank records and wire transfers, documenting requests from Clase for portions of the winnings to be sent to the Dominican Republic, including funds earmarked for personal expenses. The evidence included a trove of phone records, text messages, and financial documents, all pointing to a pattern of bribery and manipulation.
Legal Fallout and Charges
Both pitchers were arrested in November 2025—Ortiz on November 9 at Boston’s Logan International Airport and Clase on November 12 at New York’s JFK Airport. They now face a series of federal charges, including wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud, bribery to influence sporting contests, and money laundering. The wire fraud charges stem from the use of phones and electronic communications to coordinate the scheme, while the honest services charge alleges that the players deprived the Guardians and MLB of the integrity and faithful performance expected of professional athletes.
Bribery charges target the core act of accepting money to manipulate competition, a violation that federal law treats with particular severity. Money laundering allegations address the movement and concealment of illicit gambling proceeds, including the transfer of funds between accounts and across borders. If convicted on all counts, Clase and Ortiz could face up to 65 years in federal prison, though actual sentences will depend on trial outcomes and potential plea agreements. Both have pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Baseball’s Response and Industry Impact
In response to the scandal, Major League Baseball placed both players on paid, non-disciplinary leave in July 2025. Ortiz was placed on leave on July 13 and Clase was placed on leave at the end of July after his final appearance on July 26. The league has fully cooperated with federal authorities, providing access to financial records, game data, and internal communications. Sportsbooks, meanwhile, have imposed new restrictions on prop bets, capping individual wagers at $200 and accelerating the deployment of monitoring systems to detect suspicious betting patterns.
The financial and professional consequences for the accused are severe. Clase, who had signed a five-year, $20 million contract in April 2022 that includes club options for 2027 and 2028, now faces likely termination and a lifetime ban from MLB. Ortiz’s career is similarly in jeopardy, regardless of the trial’s outcome.
A Historic Reckoning for Baseball
This case stands as one of the most significant gambling scandals in baseball since the infamous 1919 “Black Sox” incident. Unlike past controversies, the current scheme exploited technological advances and targeted micro-betting markets, revealing new vulnerabilities in the era of legalized sports gambling. As the trial approaches, MLB and other professional leagues are expected to implement stricter controls on player-gambling interactions and further limit prop betting options.
The outcome of this case will shape the future of sports integrity enforcement, with implications reaching far beyond baseball. As both players await trial, the league and its fans confront the challenge of restoring trust in the fairness of the game.
