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Major League Baseball is scrambling to save its reputation after a federal indictment just exposed a massive betting scandal in Cleveland. Two Guardians pitchers, Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, face serious prison time as the U.S. government unsealed a 23-page indictment on November 9. This investigation started in July 2025 after a betting integrity firm first flagged suspicious activity on their pitches. Prosecutors allege Clase and Ortiz took bribes from bettors to fix tiny events in the game. They would intentionally throw pitches “in the dirt” for a “ball.” They also changed their pitch speeds to beat velocity bets. And the bribes were reportedly small, sometimes $5,000. But the bettors’ payouts were huge, sometimes reaching around $400,000. The league’s response to this crisis was immediate. Commissioner Rob Manfred was forced to make an unprecedented move. Bob Nightengale tweeted the news on November 10. “MLB announces $200 limit on prop bets with sports books in aftermath of the Guardians’ scandal.” It is a sudden shift in league policy that affects 98% of the U.S. betting market. And it targets the exact problem. First, all sportsbooks will cap wagers on “pitch-level markets” at $200. The league’s press release explained this logic: This cap is “targeted at the incentive to engage in misconduct.” If bettors cannot win big money, they have less reason to bribe players. The second rule is even more important. The league is also excluding these pitch-level bets from all parlays. A parlay lets a bettor roll winnings into bigger bets. For example, the $200 bet could become $200,000 on a 10-leg parlay. So, this ban “reduces the payout” and stops this “ability to circumvent the new limit.” Commissioner Rob Manfred praised the new solution. He said, “We look forward to continuing to work with all stakeholders, including licensed sports betting operators, elected officials, and regulators, to ensure we are always protecting the integrity of our game.” Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, who had previously called for a total ban on player prop bets, now calls this limit an affirmative step. “Major League Baseball is taking affirmative steps to protect the integrity of the game and reduce the incentives to participate in improper betting schemes,” DeWine said. “I urge other sports leagues to follow Major League Baseball’s example with similar action.” Read Top Stories First From EssentiallySports Click here and check box next to EssentiallySports This isn’t the first time Major League Baseball has faced a betting scandal that shook its foundations. In 2024, San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano was handed a lifetime ban for betting on games involving his own team, even though there was no evidence of game manipulation. The case reaffirmed MLB’s zero-tolerance stance on player gambling and its commitment to preserving competitive integrity. Decades earlier, in 1989, Pete Rose—one of baseball’s greatest hitters—was permanently banned for gambling on games while managing the Cincinnati Reds, a decision that still echoes through Hall of Fame debates today. And what about the players at the center of the storm? The futures for Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz look bad. Both pitchers maintain their innocence through their lawyers. Luis Ortiz’s attorney, Chris Georgalis, stated his client “is innocent” and “has never, and would never, improperly influence a game— not for anyone and not for anything.”.” Clase’s lawyer, Michael Ferrara, said the same, “Emmanuel Clase has devoted his life to baseball and doing everything in his power to help his team win.” Despite these claims, the players will face a brutal legal battle. If convicted on all federal counts, they can face 65 years in prison. Ortiz was arrested in Boston, and Clase was reportedly not in U.S. custody when the charges dropped. Even if they beat the charges, their baseball careers are likely over. MLB rules require a lifetime ban for players who bet on their games. Just look at the NBA’s Jontay Porter. The NBA banned him for life after he rigged his own prop bets. Clase and Ortiz can face the exact same professional fate. The sports betting companies are fully cooperating. FanDuel President Christian Genetski said, “This initiative illustrates our unwavering commitment to building a legal and regulated market that roots out abuses by those who seek to undermine fair competition and damage the integrity of the games we love.” However, before speaking on ‘prop bets, MLB Players Association executive director Tony Clark said he wants a total ban on all player prop bets. Clark said, “We’re in support of removing any types of bets, prop or otherwise, that could create issues for our guys on the field,” before the World Series Game 1.
