NEW YORK — Cleveland Guardians relievers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz were indicted on charges saying they accepted payments from sports bettors to manipulate specific pitches — for example, throwing pitches in the dirt instead of strikes — to help win in‑game prop wagers, federal prosecutors said.
An indictment unsealed Sunday in federal court in Brooklyn alleges the two pitchers took several thousand dollars in payoffs to assist two unnamed gamblers from the Dominican Republic, who prosecutors say won at least $460,000 on wagers tied to pitch speed and outcomes. Major League Baseball placed both players on paid leave in July after detecting unusual in‑game betting activity during appearances in April, May and June.
Ortiz, 26, was arrested Sunday by the FBI at Boston Logan International Airport and is expected to appear in federal court in Boston. Clase, 27, was not in custody.
“Integrity, honesty and fair play are part of the DNA of professional sports,” U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said, adding that the pitchers “betrayed America’s pastime” and harmed public trust.
Ortiz’s attorney, Chris Georgalis, issued a statement saying Ortiz is innocent and “has never, and would never, improperly influence a game — not for anyone and not for anything.” Georgalis said his team previously provided prosecutors documents showing payments and transfers involving Ortiz and individuals in the Dominican Republic were for lawful purposes, and that Ortiz looks forward to contesting the charges. A lawyer for Clase did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Major League Baseball Players Association declined to comment.
MLB said it alerted federal law enforcement after detecting the unusual betting activity and has fully cooperated with investigators. “We are aware of the indictment and today’s arrest, and our investigation is ongoing,” the league said. The Guardians likewise said they are cooperating with law enforcement and MLB.
Both players face counts including wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy and conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery. Each top count carries a potential maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison.
The indictment includes specific alleged instances. Prosecutors say Clase invited a bettor to a game against the Boston Red Sox in April, spoke with him by phone shortly before taking the mound, and four minutes later the bettor and associates won $11,000 by wagering that Clase would throw a pitch slower than 97.95 mph. In May, prosecutors allege Clase agreed to throw a ball at a particular point during a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers; the batter swung and the pitch resulted in a strike, costing the bettors about $4,000. After that game, prosecutors say Clase sent text images to a bettor showing a man hanging himself with toilet paper alongside a sad puppy face.
The indictment lists multiple alleged first‑pitch manipulations attributed to Clase, including:
– a 98.5 mph cutter low and inside to Starling Marte on May 19, 2023;
– an 89.4 mph slider that bounced short of home plate to Ryan Jeffers on June 3, 2023;
– an 89.4 mph slider that bounced to Bobby Witt Jr. on April 12, 2023;
– a 99.1 mph cutter in the dirt to Max Kepler on May 11, 2023;
– a bounced 89.1 mph slider to Jake Bauers on May 13, 2023; and
– a bounced 87.5 mph slider to Santiago Espinal on May 17, 2023.
Prosecutors say Clase began providing bettors information about his pitches in 2023 but did not seek payoffs until 2025. Clase, a three‑time All‑Star and two‑time American League Reliever of the Year, had a $4.5 million salary in 2025 and was in the fourth season of a $20 million, five‑year contract.
Officials allege Ortiz joined the scheme in June and is accused of bouncing first‑pitch sliders in games against the Seattle Mariners and the St. Louis Cardinals: an 86.7 mph slider to Randy Arozarena that bounced at the start of the second inning on June 15, and an 86.7 mph slider to Pedro Pagés that went to the backstop at the start of the third inning on June 27. Ortiz’s salary this year was $782,600, the indictment noted.
The charges come amid a broader federal crackdown on gambling‑related corruption in professional sports. In a separate sweep last month, authorities arrested more than 30 people, including notable basketball figures such as Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier. The prosecutions follow a surge in sports betting since a 2018 U.S. Supreme Court decision lifted a federal ban on most state sports wagering and expanded online sportsbooks.
MLB previously suspended five players in June 2024 for betting violations, including a lifetime ban for San Diego infielder Tucupita Marcano, who was accused of placing hundreds of baseball bets totaling more than $150,000.