Another update involving Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz has been released.
Both pitchers were indicted in November on federal charges that include conspiracy to influence sporting contests through bribery, money laundering and wire fraud in a scheme to rig pitches for sports bettors.
On Tuesday, Dec. 2, it was released that Clase and Ortiz appeared in a Brooklyn federal courthouse. U.S. District Court Judge Kiyo Matsumoto said that the jury selection for the trial will begin tentatively on May 4, with the trial expected to begin days later.
At the court appearance on Tuesday, it was also revealed that prosecutors anticipate the trial to last roughly two weeks. While it is currently unknown whether or not a possible plea deal has been discussed to avoid trial, Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Sherman has said that both sides have been in heavy communication.
Last month, the two pleaded not guilty to fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy and conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery.
Both Clase’s and Ortiz’s lawyers have denied the charges.
“Emmanuel Clase has devoted his life to baseball and doing everything in his power to help his team win,” Clase’s lawyer’s statement read. “Emmanuel is innocent of all charges and looks forward to clearing his name in court.”
After Ortiz’s initial court appearance, his attorney’s statement said Ortiz, “has never, and would never, improperly influence a game- not for anyone and not for anything.”
The Guardians as an organization provided a statement with full support of the investigation.
“We are aware of the recent law enforcement action,” their release read. “We will continue to fully cooperate with both law enforcement and Major League Baseball as their investigations continue.”
The two pitchers are due to return to court at the start of the new year on Jan. 15, 2026.
The loss of Clase and Ortiz was adjusted to pretty well towards the back half of the 2025 season by the Guardians. The coaching staff was able to slot in plenty of youngsters into the starting lineup, moving to a six-person rotation, with very few bumps in the road, while the bullpen remained efficient.
They moved reliever Cade Smith to the closer spot, where he looked strong with an ERA of 2.93 across 73.2 innings. He also posted a strikeout rate of 12.7 per nine innings.
As the offseason continues, the front office may look to bolster the pitching staff in free agency to give Smith a bit more help in late-game situations.
The Guardians are expected to open up Spring Training here in February, with Opening Day to be just a month later on Thursday, March 26, against the Seattle Mariners.