Baseball Fraud Trial: Former Guardians Pitchers Face Jury
Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz begin a month-long federal trial in Brooklyn, accused of taking bribes to help Dominican bettors win over $460,000 on pitch-speed props.
By Noor Phillips ·
Former Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz entered federal court in Brooklyn on Monday to face a jury on fraud charges. The two men stand accused of accepting bribes to collude with gamblers who placed in-game prop bets on the speed and outcome of specific pitches.
Prosecutors allege that the scheme allowed two bettors from the Dominican Republic to win at least $460,000. According to the indictment, Clase, the team's former closer, began sharing information with the bettors in 2023. He later recruited Ortiz, a starting pitcher, into the arrangement in 2025.
Both pitchers have pleaded not guilty to four counts, including wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, and conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery. They are currently on nondisciplinary leave from the Guardians without pay while the case proceeds.
The defense has a different narrative. Lawyers for the pitchers expect to argue that the men did not collude with gamblers but were instead varying pitch placement strategically to fool batters. Ortiz’s legal team previously sought to be tried separately from Clase, but that motion was denied.
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 charges were revealed in November 2025. Ortiz, 27, earned $782,600 as a starter for the Guardians during the 2025 season.
Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto ruled on Friday that prosecutors cannot show the jury proof that Clase owed $500,000 in U.S. taxes. The judge determined that the evidence was provided to defense lawyers several days after the deadline for disclosure. A prosecutor had argued that the tax debt was relevant to counter claims that Clase had little financial incentive to cheat because he held millions of dollars in accounts in the Dominican Republic.
Major League Baseball and the Guardians stated that both organizations fully cooperated with authorities. MLB said it contacted federal law enforcement when its investigation began to uncover unusual betting activity. The trial is expected to last approximately one month, with witnesses including catchers and baseball executives.
