Drama is already unfolding this MLB offseason, as two pitchers from the Cleveland Guardians have been indicted on charges related to an alleged gambling scheme.
Closer Emmanuel Clase and starter Luis Ortiz are at the center of the alleged gambling scandal and could face up to 65 years in prison if convicted on all charges.
Law enforcement officials claim the two pitchers provided information to “co-conspirators” about their performance, who then made at least $450,000 across betting platforms.
The indictment of the two Cleveland Guardians pitchers comes just under a month after another gambling scheme rocked the NBA, leading to the arrest of current and former basketball stars.
Several sources, including ESPN and CBS Sports, report that Clase and Ortiz have been indicted on charges related to alleged gambling misconduct.
According to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, the two men were slapped with a number of serious charges, including wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery, and money laundering conspiracy.
Ortiz was arrested on Sunday, November 9, 2025, in Boston, Massachusetts, and will appear in federal court on November 10. Clase has not yet been arrested.
The unsealed indictment details the alleged scheme and accuses the two Guardians players of collaborating with “co-conspirators” on specific pitches they planned to throw during MLB games. The gamblers used the information to place “hundreds of fraudulent bets on those pitches.”
Law enforcement officials claim the scheme began in May 2023, when Clase, a relief pitcher for the Guardians, “agreed with corrupt sports bettors to rig prop bets on particular pitches he threw,” specifically on the speed and type of pitches.
Clase’s alleged co-conspirators knew of the information in advance by coordinating with the athlete before or sometimes during MLB games. “The bettors used the advanced, inside information that Clase provided about his future pitches to wager thousands of dollars at online sportsbooks,” the indictment read.
Clase allegedly received bribes or kickbacks from bettors in exchange for the non-public information.
The indictment states that Ortiz, a starting pitcher for the Guardians, joined the alleged gambling scheme around June 2025, and with Clase, agreed in advance to rig pitches in two games in exchange for bribes and kickbacks.
On June 15, Ortiz allegedly agreed with his co-conspirators to throw a specific pitch in exchange for $5,000. Clase reportedly earned $5,000 for arranging the rigged pitch.
Days later, on June 27, Ortiz allegedly agreed with his co-conspirators to rig a second pitch in exchange for $7,000. Clase reportedly earned another $7,000 for arranging the rigged pitch.
Prior to that game, Clase allegedly withdrew $50,000 in cash and provided $15,000 to a co-conspirator who used the money to wager on Ortiz’s rigged pitch during the game.
Ultimately, Clase and Ortiz’s alleged involvement in this scheme resulted in gamblers winning at least $60,000 through fraudulent wagers.
If convicted, Clase and Ortiz face a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment on the wire fraud conspiracy count, 20 years on the honest services wire fraud conspiracy count, five years on the conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery count, and 20 years on the money laundering conspiracy count.
MLB fans unleashed their unfiltered opinions on Reddit, torching the players for allegedly participating in a morally corrupt operation.
“Clase contract was like 5 million a year and Ortiz was minimum but still 750K. They did this for a bribe of 12K. Now they face up to 65 years. Just dumb a–es,” one Redditor wrote.
U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella also spoke out on the matter, slamming Ortiz and Clase for allegedly depriving the Guardians and MLB of “their honest services.”
“They defrauded the online betting platforms where the bets were placed. And they betrayed Americas pastime. Integrity, honesty and fair play are part of the DNA of professional sports. When corruption infiltrates the sport, it brings disgrace not only to the participants but damages the public trust in an institution that is vital and dear to all of us. Todays charges make clear that our Office will continue to vigorously prosecute those who corrupt sports through illegal means,” Nocella added.
MLB isn’t the only major sports league engulfed in an ongoing gambling scandal, as the FBI recently arrested and charged several current and former NBA players, including Terry Rozier of the Miami Heat, for their alleged role in a scheme that made corrupt gamblers large sums of money, according to The Blast.
“Former and current NBA players and coaches, including Terry Rozier, Damon Jones and additional co-conspirators, allegedly informed the defendants and others of confidential information relating to upcoming NBA games and player performances, such as pre-release medical information and a players intention to alter their upcoming game performance, which favored certain bettors within their inner social circle,” said an FBI spokesperson.
“This alleged collusion resulted in the defendants secretly pocketing their lavish winnings and corrupting NBA games. The FBI will never turn a blind eye to any insider betting scheme within sporting industries regardless of title or professional affiliation to protect its integrity and afford all participants a fair chance to win big,” they added.