Baseball Fraud: Ex-Guardians Pitchers Face Jury in Brooklyn
Clase and Ortiz are set to stand trial on wire fraud and bribery charges after prosecutors allege a scheme to win over $460,000 in prop bets.
By Christopher Singh ·
Former Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz begin a jury trial on Monday in federal court in Brooklyn. The core dispute centers on whether the two players accepted bribes to help specific gamblers win wagers on individual pitches, or if they were simply using strategic placement to deceive batters.
The legal battle follows a timeline that began in 2023, when prosecutors say Clase started sharing pitch information with two bettors from the Dominican Republic. The indictment claims Ortiz joined the scheme in 2025. Charges against the pair were revealed in November 2025, prompting both men to plead not guilty to conspiracy counts. They remain on nondisciplinary leave from the Guardians without pay while the case proceeds.
According to the government, the pair accepted several thousand dollars in payoffs. The alleged arrangement allowed the two gamblers to win at least $460,000 on in-game prop bets regarding pitch speed and outcome. The pitchers face four counts: wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, and conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery.
The trial is scheduled to last approximately one month. Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto indicated on Friday that she aims to finish jury selection quickly to allow for short opening statements later that day. Several professional baseball players, including catchers and executives, are expected to take the stand as witnesses.
Clase, 28, is a three-time All-Star and two-time American League Reliever of the Year. He had completed his fourth season of a five-year, $20 million contract when the charges surfaced. Ortiz, 27, earned $782,600 as a starting pitcher during the 2025 season. Defense attorneys previously sought to have Ortiz tried separately from Clase, but that motion was denied.
On Friday, the judge ruled that prosecutors cannot present evidence to the jury that Clase owed $500,000 in U.S. taxes. The government argued the evidence was necessary to counter claims that Clase had no incentive to take bribes because he held millions of dollars in accounts in the Dominican Republic. However, the judge determined the evidence was provided to the defense days after the deadline.
Major League Baseball and the Guardians stated they fully cooperated with authorities. The league said it contacted federal law enforcement after it began investigating unusual betting activity involving the pitchers.
