Two pitchers for the Cleveland Guardians have been indicted on charges related to bet rigging.Emmanuel Clase, 27, and Luis Ortiz, 26, are being charged with wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery and money laundering conspiracy. The top charges carry a potential punishment of up to 20 years in prison in the event of a conviction. According to federal prosecutors, Clase started to take bribes on prop bets beginning in May 2023. Bettors wagered on the speed and type of Clase’s pitches, with bettors knowing in advance the types of pitches that Clase would throw.This includes Clase occasionally throwing balls on purpose throughout that time, often intentionally directly throwing balls into the dirt to ensure the pitches were not accidentally called as strikes, according to prosecutors.In total, prosecutors allege that Clase caused bettors to fraudulently win at least $400,000 over the course of his career, with Clase receiving kickbacks from the scheme.Meanwhile, Ortiz is alleged to have had a much more recent role in the scheme, and was recruited by Clase to throw pre-planned pitches that would win bettors money in June 2025.The Guardians’ June 15 game against the Seattle Mariners and June 27 game against the St. Louis Cardinals this year are two such games that prosecutors allege had rigged pitches thrown in the game, with Ortiz throwing balls on specific pitches to ensure that bettors would be paid.The two men each earned $5,000 apiece for Ortiz throwing a rigged pitch during the Guardians-Mariners game, while the two men earned $7,000 apiece for the Guardians-Cardinals game.Clase, according to prosecutors, acted as the middleman between Ortiz and the bettors during the two games.Clase has been with the Guardians since 2019, after spending his first season with the Texas Rangers. However, Ortiz is a relatively new acquisition for Cleveland, having been traded to the team from the Pittsburgh Pirates in December 2024. Both men are Dominican nationals, having been born and raised in the Caribbean nation before joining Major League Baseball.Class in particular is known as one of the league’s best pitchers: He is a three-time All-Star pitcher, having been named to the league’s annual All-Star Game game three years back-to-back between 2022 and 2024. He also has been named to the All-MLB First team twice, both in 2022 and 2024. The All-MLB award is given out to the best players across the league at the end of the season in each position. He was also named to the All-MLB Second Team in 2023, an award given out to the second-best players across the league at the end of the season in each position.Clase has also been named twice as American League Reliever of the Year and three times as American League Saves Leader, also all within the same timeframe between 2022 and 2024.Since July 28, the two men had been on leave as part of an investigation into their involvement in suspected sports betting by the league, with Ortiz never pitching again in a game after the Guardians’ game against the Cardinals.However, despite this, Clase regularly pitched in Guardians games throughout the next month until he was placed on leave, with his last game coming on July 26.Clase maintained an earned run average of 3.23 in the 2025 regular season, while Ortiz maintained an earned run average of 4.36. The statistic is used to measure the average number of runs that a pitcher gives up over a span of nine innings. In a statement released Sunday on the allegations, the Guardians simply said: “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.” According to prosecutors, Ortiz was arrested in Boston on Sunday, while federal officials are continuing to work on tracking down Clase.
CLEVELAND —
Two pitchers for the Cleveland Guardians have been indicted on charges related to bet rigging.
Emmanuel Clase, 27, and Luis Ortiz, 26, are being charged with wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery and money laundering conspiracy. The top charges carry a potential punishment of up to 20 years in prison in the event of a conviction.
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Emmanuel Clase, 27 (left), and Luis Ortiz, 26 (right)
According to federal prosecutors, Clase started to take bribes on prop bets beginning in May 2023. Bettors wagered on the speed and type of Clase’s pitches, with bettors knowing in advance the types of pitches that Clase would throw.
This includes Clase occasionally throwing balls on purpose throughout that time, often intentionally directly throwing balls into the dirt to ensure the pitches were not accidentally called as strikes, according to prosecutors.
In total, prosecutors allege that Clase caused bettors to fraudulently win at least $400,000 over the course of his career, with Clase receiving kickbacks from the scheme.
Meanwhile, Ortiz is alleged to have had a much more recent role in the scheme, and was recruited by Clase to throw pre-planned pitches that would win bettors money in June 2025.
The Guardians’ June 15 game against the Seattle Mariners and June 27 game against the St. Louis Cardinals this year are two such games that prosecutors allege had rigged pitches thrown in the game, with Ortiz throwing balls on specific pitches to ensure that bettors would be paid.
The two men each earned $5,000 apiece for Ortiz throwing a rigged pitch during the Guardians-Mariners game, while the two men earned $7,000 apiece for the Guardians-Cardinals game.
Clase, according to prosecutors, acted as the middleman between Ortiz and the bettors during the two games.
Clase has been with the Guardians since 2019, after spending his first season with the Texas Rangers. However, Ortiz is a relatively new acquisition for Cleveland, having been traded to the team from the Pittsburgh Pirates in December 2024.
Both men are Dominican nationals, having been born and raised in the Caribbean nation before joining Major League Baseball.
Class in particular is known as one of the league’s best pitchers: He is a three-time All-Star pitcher, having been named to the league’s annual All-Star Game game three years back-to-back between 2022 and 2024. He also has been named to the All-MLB First team twice, both in 2022 and 2024. The All-MLB award is given out to the best players across the league at the end of the season in each position. He was also named to the All-MLB Second Team in 2023, an award given out to the second-best players across the league at the end of the season in each position.
Clase has also been named twice as American League Reliever of the Year and three times as American League Saves Leader, also all within the same timeframe between 2022 and 2024.
Since July 28, the two men had been on leave as part of an investigation into their involvement in suspected sports betting by the league, with Ortiz never pitching again in a game after the Guardians’ game against the Cardinals.
However, despite this, Clase regularly pitched in Guardians games throughout the next month until he was placed on leave, with his last game coming on July 26.
Clase maintained an earned run average of 3.23 in the 2025 regular season, while Ortiz maintained an earned run average of 4.36. The statistic is used to measure the average number of runs that a pitcher gives up over a span of nine innings.
In a statement released Sunday on the allegations, the Guardians simply said: “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.”
According to prosecutors, Ortiz was arrested in Boston on Sunday, while federal officials are continuing to work on tracking down Clase.