Former Guardians Pitchers Face Federal Gambling Fraud Trial

Jury selection began on November 2 in Brooklyn in the federal case against Cleveland’s former pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz. Prosecutors accuse them of accepting bribes and sharing information with gamblers to help win bets on specific pitches. Both have pleaded not guilty and are on unpaid leave from the team.

The indictment alleges that Clase started supplying information in 2023 and brought Ortiz into the arrangement in 2025. Prosecutors say gamblers won at least $450,000 on bets tied to the pitchers’ pitches. The case focuses on 18 pitches thrown between 2023 and 2025; one cited example involved a wager on a Clase pitch’s speed during a game against the New York Mets.

The charges include conspiracy to commit wire fraud, honest-services wire fraud and money laundering, as well as conspiracy to influence sporting contests through bribery. A conviction on every charge could carry a maximum sentence of 65 years. Potential witnesses include Guardians executives, coaches and players, including catchers.

Their attorneys are likely to contend that the pitchers had no arrangement with gamblers and that the pitches in question served strategic aims, including efforts to mislead batters. Ortiz’s request for a separate trial was rejected. Before the trial, the judge barred prosecutors from presenting evidence that Clase owed $500,000 in U.S. taxes, ruling it had been disclosed too late.

Major League Baseball and the Guardians have said they cooperated with authorities. MLB said it contacted federal law enforcement after detecting unusual betting activity. After the indictment, the league announced a $200 limit on pitch-level micro-bets and said those bets would not be included in parlays.