Clase Allegedly Threw 250+ Suspicious Pitches to Influence Bets

Emmanuel Clase’s alleged pitch manipulation for betting purposes may prove to be far more extensive than it was initially reported. 

According to a recent court filing highlighted by ESPN’s David Purdum, the three-time All-Star and two-time American League Reliever of the Year threw over 250 suspicious pitches across at least 48 games from 2023 to 2025. 

The report suggests these pitches were part of coordinated efforts to influence bets.

“Different Levels of Culpability”

The filing comes not from federal prosecutors but from Christos N. Georgalis, the attorney representing Clase’s former Cleveland Guardians teammate and co-accused, Luis Ortiz. 

Georgalis argues that Ortiz’s involvement was far more limited than Clase’s. “They have markedly different levels of culpability,” he says. 

Accordingly, the attorney is pushing to have Ortiz’s case tried separately, arguing that a combined trial could unfairly damage his client’s chances if jurors compared him directly to Clase’s actions.

Both players were placed on leave from the Guardians after Major League Baseball opened investigations into unusual betting patterns connected to pitches thrown to start innings. 

Ortiz was sidelined in July 2025 on a non-disciplinary leave, after completing three seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates before joining the Guardians for 16 games last year 

Clase received the same treatment in August while on his fourth season of a five-year, $20 million contract.

Painting the Broader Picture

Initially, only two of Ortiz’s pitches from June 2025 were publicly scrutinized. Those pitches drew unusually high bets that they would be balls, and indeed, neither found the strike zone.

A federal indictment in November focused on Clase’s role in nine games, but this new filing paints a broader picture. It references more than 250 suspect pitches in at least 48 games, along with “dozens of communications with [a bettor], cash transfers and coordination of illegal wagers.” 

The players allegedly accepted payments from bettors in the Dominican Republic, who reportedly won over $460,000 betting on the players’ specific pitches and pitch speeds. Public reports note that many pitches missed the strike zone intentionally, and it is likely the remaining suspicious pitches were similarly manipulated.

Both Clase and Ortiz now face serious federal charges, including wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, and conspiracy to influence sporting events by bribery.

MLB and federal authorities continue to examine the extent of the alleged manipulation, leaving the Guardians and their fans watching closely as the legal proceedings unfold.The case has been scheduled for trial on May 4, 2026.