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Two Cleveland Guardian pitchers have been indicted by prosecutors on various charges related to a sports gambling scheme. According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz have both been accused of rigging bets related to their pitches thrown during MLB games. Ortiz was arrested in Boston on Sunday, November 9, and will appear in court on Monday, November 10, and Clase is reportedly not in custody, according to federal prosecutors. “MLB contacted federal law enforcement at the outset of its investigation and has fully cooperated throughout the process,” the league said in a statement to ESPN on Sunday. “We are aware of the indictment and today’s arrest, and our investigation is ongoing.” Prosecutors claimed in the indictment that gamblers won at least $450,000 wagering on the pair’s pitches between 2023 and 2025. Clase allegedly arranged with a bettor in May 2023, while prosecutors claim Ortiz joined the scheme in June 2025. Both pitchers were allegedly given a cut of the profits. “The defendants deprived the Cleveland Guardians and Major League Baseball of their honest services,” Joseph Nocella Jr., the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District, said in a statement on Sunday. “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.” Ortiz has denied all charges via his attorney, Chris Georgalis, in a statement to ESPN. The pitchers could face up to 65 years in prison if convicted. Clase and Ortiz have been on non-disciplinary paid leave since July, after betting-integrity firms flagged irregular wagering on a pair of pitches thrown by Ortiz in June. The accusations against the two pitchers include regularly and intentionally throwing balls instead of strikes on the first pitch of at-bats, according to prosecutors (Bettors would wager on the individual pitches). The charges come in the wake of an NBA sports gambling scandal that saw nearly three dozen people arrested, including Miami Heat star Terry Rozier and Portland Trailblazers coach Chauncey Billups. Before Game 2 of the World Series, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred responded to the NBA scandal, saying the MLB was staying “really vigilant.” “We didn’t ask to have legalized sports betting,” Manfred, 67, told reporters before the game. “It kind of came, and that’s the environment in which we operate. Now we don’t have a lot of choice about that, and if it’s going to change — broadly change — probably the only way it would happen is the federal government.” He went on to say he supports business partnerships with gambling companies, arguing that deals with those companies help sports league police gambling. “Once you’re in that environment where sports betting is happening, the crucial issue is access to data,” Manfred said. “That means you have to have a relationship with the sportsbooks. Like most relationships, if you want something from them, you need to give something back to them. And that’s where those relationships come from.” He continued: “The most important thing that we can do is make sure that we have systems in place that give us access to data, which puts you in a position to determine if there’s something aberrational going on. I think then when you get that, you need to conduct a thorough investigation, make sure that you understand exactly what caused that aberration. And then you need to discipline.” In February, MLB fired umpire Pat Hoberg for violating the league’s gambling rules. In June 2024, Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani was caught in the wake of a gambling scandal, after his former interpreter pleaded guilty to bank fraud, tax fraud and admitted to stealing more than $16 million from Ohtani in order to place illegal sports bets. Ohtani denied any knowledge or involvement and was cleared of any wrongdoing after an MLB investigation. He subsequently fired his interpreter.
