Guardians Pitchers Face 2026 Trial as Betting Scandal Grows

A legal mess has cast a shadow over Cleveland’s offseason, and it is not going away anytime soon. Guardians relief pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz now have a set date for their federal trial: May 4, 2026. The court expects the case to run for about two weeks. This trial will push MLB’s measures to protect the game’s integrity as sports betting becomes more common across the nation.

Guardians Pitchers Accused of Coordinated Betting Scheme

The judge set the trial date during a short court session in Brooklyn. Judge Kiyo Matsumoto pointed out that neither player had received a plea deal offer. Prosecutors claim that proof from confiscated phones, money transfers, and game footage suggests the pitchers worked with betting groups, starting in 2023. They allegedly adjusted certain pitches so gamblers with inside information could profit from small bets on speed, location, and pitch type, reported ABC News.

Investigators say Clase, who has been to the All-Star game three times, talked straight to bettors. He would tell them when he was going to start an at-bat by throwing the ball way off target, often making it bounce far from the strike zone. The authorities think these were not just random mistakes, but planned to sway prop bets worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Ortiz, who came to Cleveland after a trade in 2024, is said to have joined this plan the next summer. He is accused of doing the same thing for money in several games.

Court papers indicate the planned bets brought in at least $400,000 in illegal gains, with some guesses pushing the sum even higher. The prosecution claims the two also took bribes and sometimes made money from the bets themselves. Both players say they are not guilty of all charges, which include wire fraud, plotting related to sports bribery, and crimes tied to money laundering.

Guardians Enter Uncertain Season with Key Pitchers Benched by Scandal

When they showed up in court in December, it was the first time the two stood side by side before the judge. People who watched said they barely interacted, showing how serious this case is. If found guilty, they could face many years in prison. Lawyers will meet again in mid-January to check on the case as they keep looking through digital proof.

The impact goes well beyond the courtroom. MLB put both pitchers on paid leave and added them to the restricted list, leaving Cleveland’s bullpen with big gaps just months before spring training starts. League officials have already tightened betting rules, including new limits on in-game pitch-related wagers, to stop similar plots.

The mess has caught Washington’s eye, too. A Senate committee wants answers about how possible cheating went unnoticed for almost two years, hinting that the league’s watching methods might face tough questions.

For now, the Guardians can only prepare for a season filled with doubt, with two important arms out and a big trial coming up.