Category: MLB

Yankees GM Brian Cashman will head to the annual MLB GM Meetings, taking place in Las Vegas this week and speak to reporters for the first time since New York was ousted in the ALDS by the Toronto Blue Jays.

Many could see the 2025 season as a failure for the Yanks, after making it to the World Series a year prior, so Cashman and his front office will have plenty of questions to answer about how he plans to get New York its first championship since 2009. 

It won't be easy, of course, as the Blue Jays and other American League upstarts like the Red Sox and Mariners are waiting to take their shots this offseason and in 2026.

Don't expect Cashman to lay his cards on the table at the GM Meetings. But we can glean something from when he speaks, whether it's about the needs of the team or where current players are on the depth chart.

Here are five questions Cashman should be asked this week...

Has his stance on Anthony Volpe changed?

One of the many questions Cashman received during his end-of-season news conference was about shortstop Volpe. 

The third-year infielder had a difficult 2025, which -- whether manager Aaron Boone admits it or not -- was impacted by his injured shoulder. Volpe has since undergone surgery and will look to man the shortstop position when he returns sometime during the season. However, is Volpe's role as the starting shortstop in hand? 

Cashman didn't commit to the shortstop position back in October, but he said he believes in Volpe and that there is still growing to do.

“I believe in the player, still. I think we believe in the player,” Cashman said. “It doesn’t mean that we don’t play with, on any level, all aspects of roster assessments. He’s 24 years old. I don’t think New York’s stage is too big for him, I just think he’s still finding his way. The age is something that there’s a lot of value to reminding yourself about.”

Jose Caballero is on the roster and probably has an inside track to break camp as the starting shortstop, but there are some intriguing options like Bo Bichette available. 

Is there interest in extending Jazz Chisholm Jr.?

Cashman has had some great trade deadline deals the last few seasons, and the addition of Chisholm in 2024 helped the team make it to the World Series. In Chisholm's first full season in pinstripes, he was even better, having arguably his best offensive season en route to an All-Star selection and a Silver Slugger. 

But does that mean Cashman has the stomach to have extension talks with his infielder?

Chisholm will enter the final year of his contract in 2026, but an extension could buy out his final year of arbitration and keep the 27-year-old in the Bronx for a long time. 

Cashman, however, is not one to give out extensions. But he should be asked if Chisholm is an exception, especially after the production he's provided and how selfless he's been, playing third base whenever asked.

What's the plan for the outfield?

Aaron Judge is the only name Boone can write in as a starting outfielder next season. Cody Bellinger opted out of his contract and will explore free agency, and Trent Grisham's contract also expired -- though the Yankees extended him the qualifying offer. 

Cashman needs to fill out left field and center field, so what is his plan for them this offseason? The qualifying offer shows the Yanks are willing to bring Grisham back, but it doesn't guarantee his return. And then, how hard are they going to try and re-sign Bellinger? The former NL MVP had a great first season in the Bronx and said he'd welcome a return.

There's also the bevy of free agent outfielders, like Kyle Tucker, who are available. We don't expect Cashman to give away which of the outfielders he wants the most, but perhaps a hint of where he's leaning could be gleaned.

Where do Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones fit?

Speaking of the outfield, the Yankees have two youngsters who could fill one -- or both? -- spots to start the 2026 season. Dominguez made the team out of spring training in 2025, but the young switch-hitter had growing pains at the plate and in the outfield. Once a highly-touted prospect, Dominguez's first full season in the bigs did not go the way the team had hoped.

It also didn't help that Grisham simply outplayed the youngster, taking away precious at-bats while New York was in the midst of maintaining a playoff spot. 

Cashman should be asked if Dominguez is a part of their plans and whether he has the stomach to deal him. 

And then there's Jones. The young slugger burst out in the minors last season, going on a power tear through Double-A and Triple-A. Cashman said that Jones "put himself in the conversation" of making the Opening Day roster, but how true is that? Also, is Jones a trade candidate if the outfield spots are filled up with external signings?

This could be the best time to trade Jones, whose stock has never been higher. 

Do the Yankees have enough pitching to withstand injuries?

The Yanks will be without Gerrit Cole, Clarke Schmidt and Carlos Rodon to start the 2026 season. While the team has viable arms, do they have enough to get through a 162-game season?

Max Fried will anchor a starting rotation that will likely include Luis Gil, Will Warren, and Cam Schlittler. That's a lot of question marks that need to be answered. 

The Yankees can sign a free agent starter like Dylan Cease, Michael King or Zac Gallen to help their bludgeoned rotation, which would possibly clear the way for them to trade some of their young arms. 

Cashman is always candid when it comes to pitching, in that he can never have enough of it. Perhaps that's the case this offseason, and Cashman should answer that.

With the annual MLB GM Meetings taking place in Las Vegas this week, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns will be speaking to reporters for the first time since New York's end-of-season news conference.

Back then, Stearns was blunt about how the Mets handled their in-season pitching woes (he said they should've done more) and repeatedly stressed the need for the club to improve its run prevention.

Stearns obviously won't lay out an exact blueprint regarding what the team plans to do this offseason, but his availabilities are generally candid and forthcoming, which makes his upcoming comments at the GM Meetings something to keep an eye on.

Here are five questions Stearns should be asked as things start to percolate...

Has there been contact with Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz?

Alonso and Diaz opted out of their contracts last week. And with free agency now open, they can sign with any team. In the case of Diaz, the Mets extended a qualifying offer that he will almost certainly reject. 

The negotiation with Alonso last offseason was drawn out and didn't end until early February, when he agreed to a two-year deal worth $54 million that contained an opt-out after the first year of the deal.

It can be argued that Alonso is the best fit for New York's opening at first base and that the Mets are the best fit for Alonso. But with one report saying his early asking price could be seven years, it's fair to wonder how long the Mets might let this play out before going in a different direction.

First base options on the free agent market include Cody Bellinger, Josh Naylor, and Japanese stars Munetaka Murakami and Kazuma Okamoto. 

When it comes to Diaz, who opted out of the final two years and roughly $40 million on his deal, it's possible he can be brought back by in effect tacking two years onto that contract at a similar average annual value.

With the Mets not having an in-house closer option, bringing Diaz back makes all the sense in the world. 

What is the team's appetite for trading top prospects?

In Stearns' first year at the helm, which began during the 2023-24 offseason, he made it clear that the Mets trading any of their most prized prospects at that point was unlikely.

Last offseason, Stearns' public comments regarding his comfortability with dealing top prospects softened -- which made sense since the team was coming off a trip to the NLCS and had World Series expectations.

As this offseason unfolds, with New York possibly engaging teams on potential trades for a top-of-the-rotation starting pitcher, the question surrounding the future of top prospects such as Brandon Sproat, Jett Williams, and Jonah Tong could grow louder.

In a scenario where the Tigers seriously explore dealing Tarik Skubal, the Mets would have to give up a package of prospects it hurts badly to part with. Are they prepared to do it?

Is the third base job open?

After struggling while getting sporadic playing time over his first two full seasons in the majors, Brett Baty got a long look at third base this past season. And he excelled.

In 432 plate appearances over 130 games, Baty slashed .254/.313/.435 with 18 home runs, 13 doubles, and two triples.

Meanwhile, his defense was smooth and above average, with him in the 69th percentile in OAA.

If Mark Vientos remains with the Mets for 2026, it's safe to believe he would be viewed as mainly a designated hitter option. That would seemingly leave Baty as the starter at the hot corner. But are the Mets prepared to hand him the job?

Stearns spoke a bit during his end-of-season news conference about the possibility that the offensive core could be shaken up. If Alonso leaves, perhaps that shakeup comes at first base. If Alonso stays, the easiest way to jolt the offensive core could be by making a big addition at either second base (Bo Bichette?) or third base.

When it comes to third, free agent Alex Bregman could be a nice fit, with him able to bring a plus bat, plus defense, and leadership.

What's the plan in center field?

The Mets had serious issues in center last season.

Jose Siri suffered an early injury that kept him out for most of the year (and was DFA'd shortly after returning), Tyrone Taylor was strong defensively but had the worst offensive year of his career (70 OPS+), and trade deadline acquisition Cedric Mullins hit .182 with an OPS+ of 62.

Taylor is arbitration-eligible in 2026 and slated to make roughly $3.6 million, so it's safe to think he'll be back. But he's better suited as a backup.

If the Mets view Carson Benge or Williams -- who both ended the 2025 season with Triple-A Syracuse -- as the future in center, it's possible that future will arrive at some point during the first half of the 2026 season.

If the Mets decide to go the free agent route for a short-term answer, options they could explore include Harrison Bader.

Will the Mets consider free agents who have qualifying offers attached?

As a team that exceeded the luxury tax in 2025, the Mets' penalty for signing a player attached to the QO would be relatively severe, with them losing their second- and fifth-highest picks in the 2026 MLB Draft as well as $1 million from their international bonus pool.

Bichette, Dylan Cease, Kyle Schwarber, Kyle Tucker, Framber Valdez, and Ranger Suarez were all tagged with -- and will reject -- the QO.

Of those players, the ones who make the most sense for the Mets are arguably Cease, Bichette, and Schwarber.

And it's hard to make a case against the Mets chasing any of those players, even with the associated penalties.

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Giants officially hire Bruce Bochy as special advisor to baseball operations originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Giants brought in their second manager this offseason.

San Francisco officially named former manager Bruce Bochy a special advisor to the baseball operations department, the team announced in a statement on Monday. Bochy will perform duties on both the baseball and business side.

“Having Boch back in the organization means a great deal to all of us,” Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey wrote in the statement. “His experience, leadership, and feel for the game are unmatched, and his perspective will be invaluable as we continue building towards sustained success.”

“I couldn’t be more excited to reconnect with the Giants organization and so many familiar faces,” Bochy added. “This organization and city mean a lot to me and my family, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to contribute in any way I can.”

Bochy managed the Giants for 13 seasons from 2007-2019, winning three World Series championships in 2010, 2012 and 2014 before retiring after the 2019 MLB season.

He then served as a special advisor for the Giants from 2020-2022 before coming out of retirement to serve as the Texas Rangers’ manager, where he won his fourth championship in 2023.

Bochy and the Rangers mutually agreed to part ways shortly after the 2025 season, and while there was brief speculation about him potentially returning to manage the Giants in 2026 after the team fired Bob Melvin, Posey made it clear the team would not go in that direction.

However, Bochy will return to the organization in a different role, and could serve as an important advisor for first-time MLB manager Tony Vitello.

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

For the past four months, as Major League Baseball carried its momentum from an exciting second half into a wildly entertaining and invigorating postseason, a dark cloud has hung over the league in the form of a sports betting investigation that featured a host of troubling unknowns. Two Cleveland Guardians pitchers — Luis Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase — had been placed on administrative leave in July as the league investigated unusual gambling activity concentrated on individual pitches thrown by Ortiz and Clase, and the harrowing possibility that the pitchers were directly connected to wagers placed on the outcome of said pitches.

Once the initial shock of the pitchers’ respective removals from Cleveland’s roster passed during the summer, the story faded somewhat into the background as an ominous to-be-determined outcome, with outside observers left to wildly speculate about the best- and worst-case scenarios for what exactly had transpired. The league’s investigation unfolded behind the scenes with minimal substantive updates provided along the way beyond the repeated extensions of each pitcher’s leave.

Finally, a clearer picture of the situation has been revealed via federal indictment from the Department of Justice offering a detailed and troubling account of Clase and Ortiz’s alleged misdeeds. The 23-page document describes a picture of events that closely resembles what was presumed by many based on the initial round of reporting regarding what exactly was being investigated: That, according to federal authorities, on multiple occasions, Clase and Ortiz were throwing certain pitches nowhere near the strike zone with the express purpose of ensuring bettors — individuals with whom they had direct connections with — win wagers predicated on the pitches being balls, not strikes. 

“MLB contacted federal law enforcement at the outset of its investigation and has fully cooperated throughout the process," MLB said in a statement on Sunday in response to the DOJ’s charges. "We are aware of the indictment and today's arrest [of Ortiz], and our investigation is ongoing.”

In addition to the basic premise of the alleged scheme, several other key takeaways can be gathered from the details within the indictment, beginning with the timeline of events itself. Upon the initial round of reporting regarding Clase and Ortiz, the focus seemed to be on a series of suspicious pitches thrown during the 2025 season. But the indictment describes three instances of bettors winning large sums of money by wagering on pitches thrown by Clase all the way back in May and June of 2023, with over $100,000 won on just those three pitches alone. 

Diamond Images via Getty Images

Why exactly Clase did not resume such alleged activity again — or at least, to our current knowledge — until April of 2025 is one of the biggest unknowns left looming as the story continues to unfold. But the fact the investigation uncovered these three examples from two seasons ago — long before Clase was even teammates with Ortiz — highlights that Clase, not Ortiz, was the individual most frequently and explicitly involved in carrying out the alleged improper actions on the mound. This is a crucial distinction considering it was Ortiz who was first placed on the restricted list in early July, suggesting he was the main character in the investigation until Clase joined him on administrative leave later that month. But there are direct references to eight instances of Clase throwing balls on purpose compared to just two from Ortiz, which did not occur until after Clase had seemingly successfully executed the scheme on several occasions over multiple seasons, according to the indictment.

It appears, however, based on the timing, that Ortiz’s two offerings in question — which both took place in June, and resulted in over $60,000 in winnings for the group of connected bettors — raised the requisite suspicion to warrant the investigation in the first place, which ballooned into something bigger.

In total, the bettors allegedly won over $450,000 from these wagers. The indictment details several instances in which a portion of the winnings were transferred to the pitchers’ associates in their home country of the Dominican Republic, although it remains unclear exactly how much of the winnings ended up with the pitchers relative to the individuals placing the bets.

What is clear in the report that features multiple examples of Clase communicating and interacting directly with bettors — including, shockingly, during the very games in which he was engaging in the illicit activity and by obtaining tickets for one of the bettors to attend said games in Cleveland — is that Clase was the driving force behind this alleged scheme. This is a stunningly poor reflection of character for a pitcher who already had one major misstep earlier in his career when he was suspended 80 games in 2020 for testing positive for a banned performance-enhancing drug. Clase had seemingly righted the ship since establishing himself in the majors in 2021, signing a $20 million extension in 2022 and blossoming into one of the most dominant relievers we’ve ever seen. Clase did not seem to be in the kind of position to need to turn to illegal affairs to find some extra fast cash, and yet it was him who allegedly engaged in this gambling scheme for an extended stretch before Ortiz, a far less established, notably less compensated pitcher who had far more to lose, “joined the criminal scheme,” according to the indictment.  

It is this apparent context that could help Ortiz as he begins to battle these charges in court after being arrested Sunday, and his lawyer has already released a strongly-worded statement defending his client and declaring the indictment as insufficient in proving Ortiz’s knowing involvement. Clase, meanwhile, is reportedly not currently in custody, at least for now, but will certainly have a lot of explaining to do once he is detained.

Lachlan Cunningham via Getty Images

On the surface, it’s an understandable instinct to lump this latest piece of bad news as merely the latest chapter in an ever-expanding trend, as the proliferation of legalized sports betting and the increased ease of access to online sports wagering has unsurprisingly opened the door for a new era of scandals across various professional sports. But while two of baseball’s most infamous storylines involved gambling — from the crooked White Sox in the 1919 World Series to an all-time great player in Pete Rose betting on his own team while managing the Reds in the 1980s — it is not a category of scandal that had resurfaced much at all in the sport until recently. The hallowed and repeatedly reinforced Rule 21 — which threatens permanent ineligibility for any player, umpire, league or club official involved in any form of wagering on baseball — had long held up as a sufficient scare tactic. 

But as legalized betting — and as the ways to wager on baseball have expanded exponentially in the form of “prop bets” to allow for wagers on hyperspecific events within a game beyond strictly its final outcome — has entered the mainstream, a wave of gambling-related scandals have surrounded MLB to various degrees in recent years. 

This alleged nefarious activity involving Clase and Ortiz, however, achieves an entirely new level of alarming. Other than featuring “MLB” and “gambling” in the headlines, this latest explosive addition to the genre should not be held as remotely equal to the other recent betting-adjacent scandals in and around baseball. This is not Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara stealing and losing millions of dollars gambling illegally on a litany of sports that didn’t even include baseball, according to prosecutors. This is not umpire Pat Hoberg naively sharing a gambling account with a friend who was placing bets on baseball. This is not a group of minor-leaguers placing small wagers on major-league games from a distance, or even Tucupita Marcano betting on games involving his team, the Pittsburgh Pirates, when he was on the major-league injured list.

All of these instances are disturbing and problematic in their own right, and featured varying degrees of league and legal punishment as a result. But what has allegedly taken place with Clase and Ortiz is infinitely worse. It is two individuals choosing to blatantly alter the specific outcome within a game with the express purpose of cashing in themselves, in turn completely disregarding the premise of fair and honest competition. It is an explicit and brazen attack on the integrity of the sport as we know it, which at its core, is what Rule 21 intends to uphold first and foremost.

It is this unfortunate reality — the worst-case scenario that what is happening on the field could be directly influenced by outside gambling activity — that MLB must grapple with moving forward, even once its internal investigation into Ortiz and Clase concludes. Having embraced various gambling companies as sponsors and welcomed a wave of advertising on broadcasts promoting in-game betting, the league is already fully engaged in the challenge of overcoming the optics of a drastic uptick in betting-related content coinciding with the rise in these betting-related scandals. But far more important than how any of it looks is finding a way to rebuild a more concrete boundary between betting activity and those who make up the sport itself is paramount as the league progresses into an era where gambling is unlikely to suddenly become any less prevalent. 

The New York Rangers have recalled Gabe Perreault from the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League.

This call-up comes amid the Rangers’ offensive struggles, specifically at home. 

In nine games for the Wolf Pack this season, Perreault has recorded five goals, five assists, and 10 points. 

The 20-year-old forward signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Rangers last season in March and played five games for the Rangers to close out the 2024-25 campaign. 

Perreault was one of the last players sent down during training camp in October, as he was given an opportunity to make the Rangers’ opening-night roster, but the team opted for him to start the year in the AHL. 

Urho Vaakanainen Makes Return To Lineup After Brief Stint With InjuryUrho Vaakanainen returned from a lower-body injury for New York <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers">Rangers</a> on Saturday night against the New York Islanders.&nbsp;

Now, it appears as if Mike Sullivan is trying to add an offensive by bringing in Perreault from Hartford. 

With Perreault called up, the Rangers sent down Jaroslav Chmelar to the Wolf Pack.

Two Major League Baseball pitchers were indicted on charges that they took part in a scheme to rig their pitches during games to benefit sports bettors.

Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase, 27, and Luis Ortiz, 26, were indicted Sunday. Both players had been on paid leave since July as the MLB investigated unusually high betting activity that took place when both men were pitching.

Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn say the pitchers would intentionally toss balls instead of strikes or throw at specific speeds to ensure successful bets. The scheme began in May 2023 with Clase, and later included Ortiz, ESPN reported.

The pitchers were indicted on charges including wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy and conspiracy to influence a sporting event by bribery, according to a 23-page indictment filed in the Eastern District of New York.

Ortiz, one of the team’s starting pitchers, was arrested Sunday at Boston Logan International Airport and is expected to appear in federal court in Boston on Monday. Clase, a relief pitcher, has not yet been taken into custody, according to the report.

The pitchers “betrayed America’s pastime,” U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said in announcing the charges. “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.”

Starting in May 2023, Clase would agree to throw balls, instead of strikes, or slower “slider” pitches, and cue bettors in on his plans. The bettors would then use this information to place over a hundred fraudulent bets on Clase’s pitches on betting platforms.

Prosecutors say that after coordinating with Clase, bettors on May 19, 2023 waged that a pitch thrown by Clase would be faster than 94.95 mph, and won approximately $27,000.

The stunt continued for several years, with Clase later looping in Ortiz to join on the scheme.

This past May, Clase agreed to throw a slow ball during a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, but the batter swung, resulting in a strike and costing the bettors $4,000. After the game, Clase sent a text to one of the bettors with the image of a man hanging himself with toilet paper and a sad puppy dog face, the indictment said.

Prosecutors also said in the filing that Ortiz was paid $5,000 for throwing an intentional ball on June 15 and Clase was given $5,000 for facilitating the play.

The two pitchers did it again on June 27 and were each paid $7,000, according to the indictment. It was not immediately clear how many instances of fraud occurred.

Bettors involved in the scheme won at least $450,000 on pitches thrown by Clase and Ortiz, according to the indictment.

In a statement, MLB said: “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.”

Their team, the Guardians, also noted in a 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 investigation continues.”

Ortiz’s lawyer, Chris Georgalis, said that his client was innocent and “has never, and would never, improperly influence a game -- not for anyone and not for anything.” Clase’s attorney did not return a request for comment.

The pitchers could each could 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 five years for conspiracy to influence a sporting events by bribery.

Clase has made over $12 million over his MLB career and was scheduled to earn $6.4 million in 2026. Ortiz’s salary in 2025 was $782,600.

The charges are the latest as federal officials crackdown on betting in professional sports. Last month, more than 30 people, including prominent basketball figures like Portland Trail Blazers head coach and Basketball Hall of Fame star Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier were arrested in relation to a gambling scheme.

The MLB said it is monitoring sports betting scandals more closely since a May 2018 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down a federal ban on sports betting in most states and opened the doors for online sportsbooks to take up a prominent space in the sports ecosystem.

Betting scandals have long plagued the MLB and professional sports as a whole. In 1920, eight members of the Chicago White Sox, including “Shoeless” Joe Jackson, were indicted on charges of fixing the 1919 World Series.

While the players were found not guilty, they were banned from baseball until May 2025.

The MLB suffered from another sports betting scandal in 1989, when Pete Rose was found to have placed numerous bets on the Cincinnati Reds to win from 1985 to 1987 while playing for and managing the team.

Rose, baseball’s all-time leader with 4,256 hits, died in 2024 still ineligible for induction into Cooperstown. However, the MLB's eligibility rules were updated in May of 2025, clearing the path for Rose to get Hall consideration.

With reporting by the Associated Press.

Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase and starter Luis Ortiz face federal charges of fraud, bribery and conspiracy for allegedly intentionally throwing pitches outside the strike zone so bettors could wager correctly on whether pitches would be balls or strikes.

The 23-page indictment filed in the Eastern District of New York and unsealed Sunday outlines several incidents, including one this season that involved the Dodgers.

During a game at Cleveland on May 28, the indictment states that Clase threw a pitch that was meant to be a ball, but Dodgers outfielder Andy Pages swung and missed, resulting in a strike. Clase retired the side in order for his 11th save of the season in Cleveland's 7-4 victory.

About 20 minutes later, the indictment states that "Bettor-1" sent a message to Clase of a GIF of a man hanging himself with toilet paper. Clase allegedly responded to "Bettor-1" with a GIF of a sad puppy dog face.

The indictment states that from 2023 to 2025, bettors "won at least $400,000 from the Betting Platforms on pitches thrown by" Clase.

Read more:Lakers 'unofficial coach' allegedly traded info on LeBron James injury in NBA gambling scandal

Ortiz joined the scheme in 2025, according to the indictment: "Ortiz agreed to throw balls (instead of strikes) on certain pitches in exchange for bribes or kickbacks." Clase allegedly served as middle man between the bettors and Ortiz.

The indictment states the alleged scheme started as early as May 2023 with Clase, who purposely threw pitches outside the strike zone so bettors could win proposition bets.

In announcing the indictment, U.S. Atty. Joseph Nocella Jr. said professional athletes hold a position of trust — with their teammates, leagues and fans.

“As alleged, the defendants sold that trust to gamblers by fixing pitches, " Nocella said. "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."

When Clase hurled a pitch in the dirt when facing Bobby Witt Jr. of the Kansas City Royals during a game in April, prosecutors allege Clase was thinking about something besides getting Witt out. He was thinking about "repairs for the country house," according to the indictment.

"The defendants agreed in advance with their co-conspirators to throw specific types and speeds of pitches, and their co-conspirators used that inside information to place wagers on those pitches," wrote Assistant U.S. Atty. David Pitluck in the indictment. "In some instances, the defendants received bribes and kickback payments — funneled through third parties — in exchange for rigging pitches."

Clase, 27, is one of the top closers in baseball. The right-hander from the Dominican Republic led the American League in saves in 2022, 2023 and 2024 and has a career earned-run average of 1.88 to go with 182 saves.

Clase signed a five-year, $20-million contract in April 2022 that included a $2-million signing bonus. The deal also includes $10-million club options for 2027 and 2028.

Read more:Feds arrest ex-NBA star Arenas for alleged 'high-stakes illegal poker' at Encino mansion

Ortiz, also from the Dominican Republic, was traded to the Guardians before the 2025 season after spending three seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates. ESPN reported that the betting-integrity firm IC360 sent alerts to sportsbook operators regarding two pitches thrown by Ortiz in June.

The first came when Ortiz spiked a slider in the dirt to open the second inning against the Seattle Mariners. The second came when Ortiz opened the third inning against the St. Louis Cardinals with a slider that flew to the backstop.

Both pitchers were placed on non-disciplinary paid leave in July when MLB launched an investigation and were moved to the restricted list when the regular season ended. The Ohio Casino Control Commission also started an investigation.

If convicted on all charges, the pitchers face up to 65 years in prison. Ortiz was arrested in Boston on Sunday morning. Clase has not yet been arrested.

MLB has a rule that prohibits players from betting on any game they participate in. Breaking the rule makes a player "permanently ineligible" to play professional baseball.

The MLB inquiry is ongoing. The league said Sunday it contacted federal investigators at the outset of its investigation and was aware of the indictment, which was replete with descriptions of specific schemes between the two pitchers and bettors.

Read more:4 wildest NBA gambling allegations: Cheating poker chip trays, card-reading glasses, X-rays and the mob

Clase often texted a bettor after games to confirm wagers had been placed, the indictment alleges. After the game against the Royals in April, Clase asked the bettor to send the money they won to the Dominican Republic, telling the bettor it was "for repairs to the country house."

The indictment also alleges that Clase used his cellphone during games — which violates MLB rules — to communicate about the scheme. During a game against the Cincinnati Reds on May 17, Clase texted Bettor-1 asking if he was "ready," prosecutors said.

Bettor-1 responded, "Of course."

Ten minutes later, according to the indictment, numerous bettors won approximately $10,000 placing bets that a pitch thrown by Clase would be a ball or would hit the batter, and that it would be slower than 97.95 mph.

Wagers on a specific event or individual performance within a game that does not necessarily depend on the final score have become increasingly popular. Called proposition bets, they allow bettors to focus on often arcane statistical achievements or odd occurrences.

But prop bets are creating new challenges for authorities investigating illegal betting. According to a federal indictment unsealed in October, NBA player Terry Rozier provided a friend with inside information about his planned early exit from a March 2023 game. The friend placed bets on Rozier underperforming statistically.

The information was sold for approximately $100,000 to bettors, who placed more than $200,000 in wagers. Rozier was arrested in a sweeping indictment.

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The betting crisis in US sports has spread further after Cleveland Guardians players Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz were indicted over an alleged scheme to rig pitches during games.

Bettors on baseball can gamble on whether individual pitches will be balls or strikes. Prosecutors allege claim that Ortiz was paid $5,000 for throwing an intentional ball during a game on 15 June. His teammate Clase, a three-time All-Star, is alleged to have been given $5,000 for facilitating the rigged pitch, alongside gamblers in the players’ home country of the Dominican Republic. Prosecutors claim the pair did so again in a game on 27 June, receiving $7,000 each.

Related: The NBA jumped into bed with gambling. Now the league is getting its due

ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that Ortiz was arrested in Boston on Sunday, while Clase has not yet been taken into custody.

“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,” Major League Baseball said in a statement on Sunday.

The pair face up to 65 years in prison if found guilty of the allegations, which include charges of fraud, conspiracy and bribery.

Ortiz earned $782,600 in salary last season while Clase, one of the league’s best closers, was paid $4.5m. They have been on paid leave since July while MLB investigated unusual betting activity during games in which they pitched.

“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,” the Guardians said in a statement.

The news comes after Chauncey Billups, a Hall of Fame NBA player, was arrested in connection with a poker operation linked to the mafia, while Miami Heat star Terry Rozier was accused of taking part in a scheme to manipulate games.

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MLB pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz charged with taking bribes to rig pitches originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz have been indicted on charges they took bribes from sports bettors to throw certain types of pitches, including tossing balls in the dirt instead of strikes, to ensure successful bets.

According to the indictment unsealed Sunday in federal court in Brooklyn, the highly paid hurlers took several thousand dollars in payoffs to help two unnamed gamblers from their native Dominican Republic win at least $460,000 on in-game prop bets on the speed and outcome of certain pitches.

Clase, the Guardians’ former closer, and Ortiz, a starter, have been on non-disciplinary paid leave since July, when MLB started investigating what it said was unusually high in-game betting activity when they pitched. Some of the games in question were in April, May and June.

Ortiz, 26, was arrested Sunday by the FBI at Boston Logan International Airport. He is expected to appear in federal court in Boston on Monday. Clase, 27, was not in custody, officials said.

Ortiz and Clase “betrayed America’s pastime,” U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. 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.”

Ortiz’s lawyer, Chris Georgalis, said in a statement that his client was innocent and “has never, and would never, improperly influence a game — not for anyone and not for anything.”

Georgalis said Ortiz’s defense team had previously documented for prosecutors that the payments and money transfers between him and individuals in the Dominican Republic were for lawful activities.

“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,” Georgalis said.

A lawyer for Clase, Michael J. Ferrara, said his client “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 Major League Baseball Players Association had no comment.

Unusual betting activity prompted investigation

MLB said it contacted federal law enforcement when it began investigating unusual betting activity and has fully cooperated with authorities. “We are aware of the indictment and today’s arrest, and our investigation is ongoing,” a league statement said.

In a statement, the Guardians said: “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.”

Clase and Ortiz are both charged with wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy and conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery. The top charges carry a potential punishment of up to 20 years in prison.

In one example cited in the indictment, Clase allegedly invited a bettor to a game against the Boston Red Sox in April and spoke with him by phone just before taking the mound. Four minutes later, the indictment said, the bettor and his associates won $11,000 on a wager that Clase would toss a certain pitch slower than 97.95 mph.

In May, the indictment said, Clase agreed to throw a ball at a certain point in a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, but the batter swung, resulting in a strike, costing the bettors $4,000 in wagers. After the game, which the Guardians won, Clase sent text messages to one of the bettors with images of a man hanging himself with toilet paper and a sad puppy dog face, the indictment said.

Clase, a three-time All-Star and two-time American League Reliever of the Year, had a $4.5 million salary in 2025, the fourth season of a five-year, $20 million contract. The three-time AL save leader began providing the bettors with information about his pitches in 2023 but didn’t ask for payoffs until this year, prosecutors said.

The indictment cited specific pitches Clase allegedly rigged — all of them first pitches when he entered to start an inning: a 98.5 mph cutter low and inside to the New York Mets’ Starling Marte on May 19, 2023; an 89.4 mph slider to Minnesota’s Ryan Jeffers that bounced well short of home plate on June 3, 2023; an 89.4 mph slider to Kansas City’s Bobby Witt Jr. that bounced on April 12; a 99.1 mph cutter in the dirt to Philadelphia’s Max Kepler on May 11; a bounced 89.1 mph (143.4) slider to Milwaukee’s Jake Bauers on May 13; and a bounced 87.5 mph slider to Cincinnati’s Santiago Espinal on May 17.

Prosecutors said Ortiz, who had a $782,600 salary this year, got in on the scheme in June and is accused of rigging pitches in games against the Seattle Mariners and the St. Louis Cardinals.

Ortiz was cited for bouncing a first-pitch 86.7 mph slider to Seattle’s Randy Arozarena starting the second inning on June 15 and bouncing a first-pitch 86.7 mph slider to St. Louis’ Pedro Pagés that went to the backstop opening the third inning on June 27.

Dozens of pro athletes have been charged in gambling sweeps

The charges are the latest bombshell developments in a federal crackdown on betting in professional sports.

Last month, more than 30 people, including prominent basketball figures such as Portland Trail Blazers head coach and Basketball Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, were arrested in a gambling sweep that rocked the NBA.

Sports betting scandals have long been a concern, but a May 2018 U.S. Supreme Court ruling led to a wave of gambling incidents involving athletes and officials. The ruling struck down a federal ban on sports betting in most states and opened the doors for online sportsbooks to take a prominent space in the sports ecosystem.

Major League Baseball suspended five players in June 2024, including a lifetime ban for San Diego infielder Tucupita Marcano for allegedly placing 387 baseball bets with a legal sportsbook totaling more than $150,000.

___

Associated Press reporters Eric Tucker in Washington and Ron Blum in New York contributed to this report.

The Mets took a chance on righty Adbert Alzolay last offseason, bringing him in on a two-year minor league deal. 

Alzolay was coming off a frustrating injury-plagued campaign with the Chicago Cubs that ended with him having to undergo Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. 

The 29-year-old spent all of this season continuing his rehab and recovery following the procedure. 

He was throwing bullpen session towards the end of this season, and now appears ready to return to game action. 

Alzolay is reportedly expected to play in the Venezuelan Winter League later this month. 

That’s certainly encouraging news for the reliever as he looks to shake off the rust ahead of a big spring training. 

The former Cubs closer will have to show he is healthy and productive again as he competes for a spot in Mets camp. 

Alzolay pitched to a terrific 2.67 ERA while locking down 22 saves prior to his injury-filled 2024 season.

If he could regain that form it would be a nice boost as the Mets look to revamp their bullpen over the winter. 

The road to becoming the first repeat World Series champion in 25 years was not a smooth one for the Dodgers, who captured their ninth championship in franchise history when they knocked off the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4 in 11 innings of a Game 7 for the ages.

After winning nine of their first 10 postseason contests, the Dodgers had to slog through a seven-game World Series that included two extra-inning wins — one in 18 innings — and consecutive losses at home that put their season on the brink.

Read more:Complete coverage: How the Dodgers won the 2025 World Series

But in the end, the Dodgers emerged with their second consecutive championship and third in six seasons. How did they make it happen? Here are some moments that galvanized the Dodgers' run to another World Series triumph.

A great escape, with a wheel man

Mookie Betts broached the idea of running the wheel play as the Dodgers tried to hang on for dear life in Game 2 of the NLDS against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Ballpark. In a tribute to executing the fundamentals, Max Muncy pounced on a bunt and Betts tagged out the lead runner at third base to help the Dodgers survive the ninth inning and grab a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series.

Ohtani's iconic performance

Based on the first inning alone, Shohei Ohtani would've produced an unforgettable performance in Game 4 of the NLCS against the Milwaukee Brewers, striking out three in a row following a leadoff walk as the Dodgers' starting pitcher and then homering as his team's leadoff batter to stake himself to an early lead. But Ohtani homered twice more — including a 469-foot blast over the right-field pavilion — and went on to strike out 10 in six innings to help the Dodgers secure their second consecutive NL pennant.

Another complete game by Yamamoto

Yoshinobu Yamamoto had already thrown a complete game in Game 2 of the NLCS, the first one by a Dodgers pitcher since José Lima in 2004. But Yamamoto went into more rarefied air when he threw another one in Game 2 of the World Series in a 5-1 win over the Blue Jays — becoming the first Dodger to throw consecutive postseason complete games since Orel Hershiser in 1988.

Kershaw's moment

The anguish and heartbreak of Clayton Kershaw's postseason history is well known, and the Dodger Stadium crowd braced itself when he entered Game 3 of the World Series with the bases loaded and two outs in the 12th inning. In an eight-pitch battle with the Jays' Nathan Lukes, Kershaw induced a soft grounder to second baseman Tommy Edman that he had to charge and scoop over with his glove to first baseman Freddie Freeman to escape the jam.

The Will Klein Game

As Game 3 of the World Series dragged into the 15th inning, the Dodgers turned to Will Klein, the last reliever in their bullpen — though Yamamoto was later warming for a potential 19th inning. Klein, acquired by the Dodgers in a minor trade on June 2, threw 72 pitches — the most he's thrown as a professional — over four scoreless innings to keep the Dodgers in it.

Freeman, the walkoff sequel

In a World Series Game 3 that featured 19 pitchers, 25 position players, 609 pitches thrown and 153 trips to the plate, it was something familiar that won it for the Dodgers in the 18th inning: a Freeman walk-off home run. One year and two days after his iconic walk-off grand slam in Game 1 of the 2024 World Series, Freeman smashed a solo shot to center field to lift the Dodgers to a 6-5 win and a 2-1 series lead.

Kiké Hernández, October hero

Left fielder Kiké Hernández added another chapter to his October legacy in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 6 with the Dodgers trying to hang on to a 3-1 lead and keep their season alive. With runners on second and third and one out, Hernández played shallow and was in good position to catch a sinking line drive by Andrés Giménez before firing a throw to second baseman Miguel Rojas, who caught it on a bounce to double off the runner at second and force a Game 7.

Miguel Rojas ninth-inning hero

Rojas became the ninth-inning focal point in Game 7 as he came up to bat with the Dodgers trailing 4-3 and two outs away from losing the World Series. Rojas, who had one homer since the All-Star break, worked the count full before hammering a game-tying shot to left. In the bottom of the inning, with the bases loaded and the infield in with one out, Rojas fielded a grounder cleanly and came up firing to force the runner out at home and preserve the tie.

The Catch

One batter later and with the bases still loaded, it was Andy Pages' turn to be the defensive hero. Inserted mid-inning at center field for his strong arm, Pages found himself using his legs to cover a lot of ground on a deep fly ball to left-center that Hernández was trying to catch over his shoulder before colliding with Pages as the center fielder secured the ball to carry the game into extra innings.

Will Smith, home run hero

As Game 7 entered the 11th inning, it was catcher Will Smith who was in the right place at the right time. Smith, who'd worked his way back into the lineup after suffering a hairline fracture in his right hand in September, turned on a 2-0 slider for his second home run of the series to put the Dodgers in front for the first time in the game.

Yamamoto with the exclamation point

Entering Game 7 during that ninth-inning jam that Rojas and Pages helped him escape, Yamamoto retired the Jays in order in the 10th and then worked around a leadoff double in the 11th, fiedling a sacrifice bunt and then walking a batter before inducing a double play to seal the Dodgers' repeat championship. For Yamamoto in the World Series, the final tally was three wins, the last coming in relief after throwing 96 pitches the night before in Game 6, and the MVP award.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

I have been a diehard baseball fan for more than 60 years, and this year’s Dodger team is the toughest, gutsiest and most resilient team I have ever seen. Toronto is an absolutely fabulous baseball team, and would’ve beaten anybody else in all of baseball without much stress.

And as for Yoshinobu Yamamoto, that young man ought to be on Mt. Rushmore.

Let’s go for a three-peat in ‘26!

Drew Pomerance
Tarzana

No doubt about it. The best team won the World Series. The Dodgers found ways to win without great hitting. Their pitching and defensive skills exceeded our expectations. Thank you everyone for another amazing baseball season.

Cheryl Creek
Anaheim

How wonderful to see grown men acting like little boys during their victory celebration. While I am not a fan of the gyrations on the bases after a hit (even when way behind), the pure joy emanating from the players at the end was to be cherished. How sports enables us to forget our problems is what has made me a lifelong sports fan.

Mark Kaiserman
Santa Monica

Who would imagine that Games 6 and 7 would both end on double plays while the losing team had men in scoring position? One different swing of the bat would have reversed the outcome of the games and series. How suddenly agonizing and euphoric. How uniquely baseball!

Mel Spitz
Beverly Hills

The Toronto Blue Jay fans taunted Shohei Othani early in the series, "We don't need you!" I guess they did!

Edward Jimenez
Whittier

Consideration should be given to incorporating the Japanese flag into the design of the 2025 World Series ring.

Greg Thompson
Chatsworth

It took until Games 6 and 7, but the 2025 World Series lineup needed to include Miguel Rojas.

Ken Feldman
Tarzana

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts' haters and naysayers can take a seat. Whether it was confidence in the starting rotation, masterful management of the bullpen, being unafraid to tinker with the lineup or making brilliant defensive replacements, every lever Roberts pulled in Games 6 and 7 ultimately resulted in another championship.

Ron Yukelson
San Luis Obispo

As my fellow Monday morning baseball critics always say, "Dave Roberts is a genius. Mookie is great at short. Last year no starting pitchers. This year no bullpen."

So many contributed big plays. Constant tension, excitement, tenacity and, ultimately, exhilaration. Thank you Dodgers for a playoffs and World Series for the ages. Encore!

Rafael Serna
Hacienda Heights

While we bask in the euphoria of the Dodgers' World Series win, let's not overlook but sing the praises to the last man standing! Without the heroics of Will Klein, there might not have been a Game 6 or a Game 7.

Stan Shirai
Torrance

The World Series finished on Dia de los Muertos, but our Dodgers lived to win again. Against all odds in Game 7, the Dodgers solidified a dynasty. What a game. What a series. What a team. So many clutch moments and players. This one will be enjoyed and cherished FOREVER.

Michael Lee Manous
San Dimas

A phrase that will never be used in the same sentence with Yoshinobu Yamamoto: “load management.”

Dave Ring
Manhattan Beach

Orel, meet Yoshi!

Brian Lipson
Beverly Hills

Fanfest next time?

More than four million Dodger fans attended games this season. As a thank you, couldn’t the Dodgers have shown appreciation for the support by providing tickets to the celebration free of charge and offer parking at $10 per car?

Seems like a nice thank you for supporting the team!

Rob Parra
Rowland Heights

On the flip side

I hope the amazing Blue Jays performance doesn't get lost in all the cheers for the Dodgers. I wish there was a place they could have received a silver trophy and basked in the well-earned cheers of the crowd. And I hope our fellow Angelenos and the media will show humility and recognize we just got the lucky flip of the coin toss.

Don McKinney
San Fernando

Hats off to the Toronto Blue Jays for an incredible World Series. They gave the Dodgers a fierce run for the money. It took everything we had to come out on top and it could have gone the other way 100 times. I hope Toronto gave them a fabulous parade. They deserve it.

Sarah Tamor
Santa Monica

Improve the product

UCLA should not relocate to SoFi Stadium. The Rose Bowl is the shrine of college football and a great place to tailgate and celebrate the Bruins.

The venue is not the problem, it’s the product on the field. It’s obviously the results, but also includes the opponents over the last several years — South Alabama, Coastal Carolina, North Carolina Central, Bowling Green and Alabama State.

William Morris
Pasadena

High expectations

The Times' reporter wrote that the Lakers "stars slogged through" much of their win over the Miami Heat at Crypto this week. Slogged? Luka Doncic recorded a triple-double, Austin Reaves scored 26 and the team finished with 130 points. And I thought expectations for the baseball team in this town are high!

Hank Rosenfeld
Santa Monica

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.