Cleveland Guardians in the Midst of a Baseball Betting Scandal

The Cleveland Guardians are willing to cooperate with a new investigation that has targeted two of their pitchers – Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, both of whom are said to have colluded with other conspirators to place bets, fumble plays, and score wins on betting outcomes.

MLB Pitchers Let Down Fans and the League

The pair is said to have collectively generated around $460,000 from various prop betting action, and this is the first major scandal to rock the MLB since Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter’s gambling scandal, which began to recently quiet down.

Both Clase and Ortiz now face numerous charges, including wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, and conspiracy to influence sports contests by bribery, as well as money laundering conspiracy.

In the meantime, the MLB has placed the pitchers on paid leave, with the Guardians confirming that they will be assisting investigators. Both the FBI as well as Attorney’s Office Eastern District of New York, the investigation goes all the way back to May 2023, with the pitchers joining the scheme in 2023 and only recently, in 2025.

State Attorney Joseph Nocella had this to say in laying the allegations against the players:

“As alleged, the defendants sold that trust to gamblers by fixing pitches.  In doing so, the defendants deprived the Cleveland Guardians and Major League Baseball of their honest services. They defrauded the online betting platforms where the bets were placed. And they betrayed America’s pastime.”

Investigators were able to produce a specific and detailed breakdown of the suspected fraudulent activity, with Ortiz accepting a $5,000 bribe to alter a play during a game that took place on June 15, 2025.

The indictment names various similar games where the pair agreed to misplay to secure a cushy payout. Ortiz was also arrested by the FBI over the weekend, while Clase is still free. Nocella insisted that athletes have a sacred obligation to protect the integrity of the game, and anything less would result in enforcement action.

“Today’s charges make clear that our Office will continue to vigorously prosecute those who corrupt sports through illegal means,” Nocella added. The players also face serious ramifications if the allegations prove true.

Serious Consequences Because of Their Actions

They may face more than 60 years of prison time, because each of the allegations against them is particularly serious.

While it is unlikely it would come to that, the current context is fraught with numerous scandals erupting all over professional leagues in the United States, and notably in the NBA, where at least several players and a coach have been tied to Mafia-run poker games and betting rings.

The NCAA has also recently revoked the rights of six student-athletes and is investigating dozens more.