Cleveland Guardians Pitchers Face Fraud Trial in New York

Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, pitchers for the Cleveland Guardians, are on trial in Brooklyn federal court on charges of accepting bribes to influence bets on individual pitches. The trial began Monday with jury selection underway.

Clase, the former closer for the Guardians, and Ortiz, a starting pitcher, have pleaded not guilty to conspiracy charges. They are currently on non-disciplinary leave from the team without pay while the case proceeds.

According to the indictment, the pitchers accepted several thousand dollars in payoffs to assist two gamblers from the Dominican Republic in winning at least $460,000 on in-game prop bets. Prosecutors allege Clase began sharing pitch information in 2023 and recruited Ortiz in 2025.

The defendants face multiple charges, including wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, and conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery. Defense lawyers argue the pitchers varied pitch placement strategically to deceive batters, not collude with gamblers.

Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto ruled that prosecutors cannot present evidence about Clase’s $500,000 U.S. tax debt to the jury, as it was provided too late. The government had intended to use the evidence to counter claims that Clase had no financial incentive to collude.

Major League Baseball and the Guardians have stated they have fully cooperated with federal authorities. MLB said it contacted law enforcement after noticing unusual betting activity.