Former Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz are on trial in Brooklyn, accused of taking bribes to help gamblers win bets on individual pitches. Both have pleaded not guilty; prosecutors say the scheme generated at least $460,000 in winnings, while the defense says the pitchers were strategically varying their pitches—not colluding with bettors.

By the Numbers
  • At least $460,000 in alleged winnings from in-game pitch bets.
  • Clase, 28, had completed four seasons of a five-year, $20 million contract.
  • Ortiz, 27, earned $782,600 during the 2025 season.
Yes, But

The allegations could cost both players their careers and potentially their freedom, but they remain unproven. A judge also barred prosecutors from presenting evidence that Clase owed $500,000 in U.S. taxes, ruling it was disclosed too late.

State of Play
  • The trial is expected to last about a month, with baseball players and executives among the expected witnesses.
  • Clase and Ortiz are on unpaid, non-disciplinary leave from the Guardians while the case proceeds.
  • The charges include wire-fraud and money-laundering conspiracies, plus conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery.
What's Next

Jury selection and opening statements are set to begin in Brooklyn federal court. The trial will test whether prosecutors can prove the pitchers coordinated with gamblers or whether the pitch choices had a legitimate baseball purpose.

Bottom Line

The case puts baseball’s betting-integrity safeguards—and two players’ futures—under scrutiny, but the central question remains for the jury: were the pitches part of a bribery scheme or ordinary strategy?