Two Cleveland Guardians pitchers face federal charges in a major betting scandal that shocked Major League Baseball. Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz allegedly accepted bribes to rig their pitches, helping gamblers win over $460,000.
The FBI investigation exposed one of baseball’s most serious gambling integrity violations, spanning from May 2023 through 2025, threatening the sport’s credibility.
Meet the Accused Players
Emmanuel Clase, an All-Star closer, and starting pitcher Luis Ortiz stand at the center of federal indictments. Both players were active roster members when allegedly participating in the scheme.
Clase, known for elite pitching performance, allegedly used his position to manipulate betting outcomes from May 2023 onward. Their alleged betrayal shocked teammates and fans nationwide.
The Core Scheme Explained
Prosecutors allege the pitchers accepted cash bribes to throw specific pitches or tip off gamblers about their intentions. The conspiracy targeted “prop bets”—wagers on granular outcomes like pitch speed, ball-or-strike calls, or pitch type.
Two bettors, based in the Dominican Republic, allegedly masterminded the operation, exploiting insider access to guarantee winning bets on highly specific game moments.
How the Scheme Began
Clase’s alleged scheme began in May 2023, when Dominican-based bettors first offered him bribes. On May 19, 2023, bettors won $27,000 by betting on a fast pitch Clase threw.
Throughout June 2023, the scheme accelerated: bettors won $38,000 on June 3 and $68,000 on June 7—all coordinated through phone calls and text messages during games.
Continuing Through 2025
The scheme continued through 2024 and into 2025 with increasing coordination. In April 2025, Clase spoke directly with a bettor by phone immediately before taking the mound during a Red Sox game, confirming pitch strategies.
The real-time coordination allowed conspirators to place bets with information unavailable to the public. This pattern of direct communication lasted approximately two years.
Ortiz Enters the Conspiracy
Luis Ortiz allegedly joined the scheme in June 2025, expanding the operation beyond Clase. On June 15, 2025, Ortiz accepted $5,000 to throw specific pitches during a Mariners game.
Simultaneously, Clase received $5,000 for facilitating Ortiz’s participation and coordinating the bribery. Ortiz’s involvement demonstrated the conspiracy’s growing institutional reach within the clubhouse.
June Payoffs and IC360 Alerts
On June 27, 2025, Ortiz allegedly received $7,000 for throwing coordinated pitches during a Cardinals game. Sportsbooks detected these schemes through IC360 betting alerts on games involving both pitchers and batters.
The repeated pattern of unusual betting activity on Ortiz’s specific pitches triggered investigation protocols. These June 2025 incidents accelerated the federal investigation into both players.
The Cash Trail and Money Movement
Clase allegedly asked bettors to send portions of winnings to the Dominican Republic for personal use. In April 2025, he explicitly requested that money be sent to his “country house for repairs.”
Federal investigators documented these requests and traced cash flows between conspirators. Bank records and wire transfers provided concrete evidence of money movement and coordination of bribery.
Investigation and Detection
The investigation began when MLB’s integrity unit flagged “unusually high in-game betting activity” on specific pitches during Guardians games. Sportsbooks, particularly those using IC360 analytics, detected statistically improbable betting patterns on pitch outcomes.
Pattern analysis revealed large wagers on obscure prop bets that consistently won when both pitchers played. This data-driven detection triggered FBI involvement.
Arrests and Court Appearances
Luis Ortiz was arrested Sunday at Logan International Airport in Boston, where federal agents apprehended him. Emmanuel Clase was arrested at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York, arriving from the Dominican Republic.
Both pitchers appeared in federal court and faced initial bail hearings. Their arrests underscored the seriousness and nationwide scope of the investigation.
Wire Fraud Conspiracy Charges
Both pitchers face wire fraud conspiracy charges for using phones and electronic communications to execute their scheme. This federal statute targets fraud committed through interstate communications—specifically, calls and texts that coordinate pitch rigging with bettors.
Prosecutors documented repeated phone calls and text messages before and during games. The wire communications constitute the core conspiracy charges.
Honest Services Fraud Explained
The indictment includes honest services wire fraud, alleging the pitchers deprived the Cleveland Guardians and MLB of the faithful, honest performance they were contractually obligated to provide.
This charge recognizes that professional athletes owe their employers and the sport integrity beyond physical participation. By rigging pitches for payment over approximately two years, they systematically violated this fundamental duty.
Bribery to Influence Sporting Contests
Federal law explicitly prohibits bribing athletes to influence the outcomes of sporting events. This charge targets the core corruption: accepting money to manipulate competition on the field.
Prosecutors allege both pitchers knowingly took bribes to alter their on-field performance, directly impacting game integrity. The statute carries severe penalties, reflecting society’s interest in fair competition.
Money Laundering Allegations
Money laundering charges address how the conspirators handled and disguised bribe payments. Converting illicit gambling proceeds, moving funds between accounts, sending money to the Dominican Republic, and structuring transactions to avoid detection all constitute money laundering under federal law.
These charges often carry lengthy prison sentences, substantially adding to the players’ potential incarceration exposure.
MLB’s Immediate Response
Major League Baseball placed both pitchers on non-disciplinary paid administrative leave in July 2025 after noticing the unusual betting activity.
This procedural move allowed the criminal investigation to proceed while keeping players away from competitive play. MLB cooperated fully with federal authorities, providing financial records, game data, betting analysis, and internal communications to support the prosecution.
Sportsbooks React with New Limits
In response to the scandal, MLB and sports betting operators implemented nationwide restrictions on individual pitch prop bets. Betting platforms established a $200 cap on individual pitch-level wagers to reduce exposure to insider manipulation schemes.
The industry accelerated monitoring systems to flag suspicious betting patterns more aggressively, recognizing that unchecked prop betting creates vulnerability to corruption.
Potential Prison Sentences
If convicted on all counts, both players face up to 65 years in federal prison combined across all charges. The severity of potential maximum sentences signals federal commitment to prosecuting sports gambling corruption aggressively and deterring future schemes.
Actual sentencing would depend on trial outcomes, plea negotiations, judicial discretion, and cooperation with authorities. Both players pleaded not guilty at their initial court appearances.
Contract and Financial Stakes
Emmanuel Clase signed a $20 million, five-year contract extension with the Guardians worth approximately $10 million in option years through 2028.
This significant career contract now faces termination given the felony indictment. Both players’ MLB careers appear to be effectively over, regardless of the trial outcome. The financial consequences extend far beyond criminal penalties.
Historical Significance
This scandal ranks among baseball’s most serious gambling controversies since the 1919 “Black Sox” scandal, when Chicago White Sox players threw the World Series. Pete Rose’s lifetime ban for betting on games pales in comparison to actively rigging pitch-by-pitch outcomes for personal profit over a two-year period.
The case represents modern gambling corruption: technologically sophisticated, multi-year coordination, and targeting micro-betting markets.
What Happens Next
Both players await trial in federal court, where prosecutors will present two years of phone records, text messages, financial documents, and sportsbook betting data as evidence. MLB has indicated that both players will face lifetime bans, regardless of the trial outcomes.
The case will reshape how sports leagues monitor player-gambling interactions, likely restricting prop bet types permanently and implementing enhanced real-time surveillance systems across professional sports.
