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.
