Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz have been indicted in connection with a scheme to rig bets on pitches thrown in MLB games
Ortiz was arrested in Boston on Sunday. The Department of Justice said Clase is not in U.S. custody.
According to the DOJ, prosecutors in Brooklyn indicted the two on the following charges:
- Wire fraud conspiracy
- Honest services wire fraud conspiracy
- Conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery
- Money laundering conspiracy
The indictment includes numerous examples of rigged pitches that Clase, a three-time All-Star closer for the Guardians and two-time Mariano Rivera award winner, had thrown dating back to 2023. In total, Clase allegedly caused his co-conspirator bettors to win at least $400,000 in fraudulent wagers, the DOJ said.
You can read the full 23-page indictment below:
Ortiz, a starting pitcher for the Guardians in 2025, allegedly caused his co-conspirator bettors to win at least $60,000 in fraudulent wagers.
Ortiz was initially suspended on July 3 after IC360, a sports betting integrity firm, had alerted sports books of suspicious activity from the pitcher. Ortiz was initially suspended through July 17, while on July 28, Clase would also be placed on non-disciplinary leave in connection to the gambling probe. Both suspensions were extended through the end of the 2025 season.
Ortiz is expected to appear in court in Boston on Monday, the DOJ said. He will be arraigned in the Eastern District of New York at a later date.
His lawyer released the following statement to News 5 regarding the indictment Sunday afternoon:
Luis Ortiz is innocent of the charges related to two pitches he threw. He has never, and would never, improperly influence a game—not for anyone and not for anything.
Luis is and always has been a fierce competitor. He has always given his best effort in every inning of every game. Those who have played with him know this. And the government’s investigation, including discussions with Luis’ teammates, supports this as well.
As Luis’ defense team extensively explained and documented to the government before these charges were brought, Luis’ payments and other transfers of money between him and individuals in the Dominican Republic were for lawful activities. Notably, the indictment completely lacks any alleged evidence connecting Luis to these alleged bettors or demonstrating any purposeful involvement in a scheme.
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. The government’s case is weak and circumstantial. He will defend himself, and he will be prevail.
The Cleveland Guardians released the following 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 investigations continue. “
The MLB also released a statement:
“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.”
