The alleged “scheme” to cash prop bets on pitches thrown during Major League Baseball games, using inside information from two Cleveland Guardians players, wound up netting participants more than $450,000 in winnings, according to U.S. law enforcement.
- Two Guardians pitchers, Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, were indicted for allegedly working with bettors to rig MLB pitch outcomes and win bettors more than $450,000.
- Prosecutors claim the players shared inside information and altered pitches in exchange for bribes and kickbacks.
- Both MLB and Ohio regulators are also investigating, while debate has reignited over microbetting and sports gambling integrity.
A federal indictment unsealed Sunday contains a series of allegations in connection with the criminal charges filed against two MLB pitchers, Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, including the purported windfalls for the parties involved.
Clase and Ortiz were placed on leave this summer amid investigations by MLB and the Ohio Casino Control Commission, the latter of which says it is looking into "suspicious wagering" on Guardians games.
On Sunday, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York announced the two pitchers had been charged with wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery, and money laundering conspiracy.
This, the government said, was “for their alleged roles in a scheme to rig bets on pitches thrown during Major League Baseball (MLB) games.”
The $450,000 question
Clase first agreed with “corrupt sports bettors” to help rig prop bets on pitches he would throw starting in or around May 2023, according to the indictment. Ortiz then allegedly “joined the criminal scheme” in or around June 2025, with the two pitchers accused of receiving “bribes and kickback payments” in return for their efforts.
One example given was an April 2025 game, ahead of which Clase allegedly told bettors about a pitch he intended to throw.
Welp, here it is: "Two Current Major League Baseball Players Charged in Sports Betting and Money Laundering Conspiracy" pic.twitter.com/fKCfHFj0m2
— Geoff Zochodne (@GeoffZochodne) November 9, 2025
The bettors then allegedly won around $15,000 by making multiple wagers that a pitch would be both a ball (or would hit the batter) and would be slower than 98.45 mph. The pitch in question was thrown into the grass in front of home plate, and Clase is accused of telling a bettor afterward to "send some" of the money won to the Dominican Republic.
“Overall, the Bettors won at least $450,000 from the Betting Platforms on pitches thrown by Clase and Ortiz,” the indictment alleges.
The allegations in the indictment have not been proven in court, and Clase and Ortiz are innocent until proven guilty. Ortiz was arrested Sunday in Boston and was scheduled to make a court appearance on Monday. Clase was not in U.S. custody as of Sunday, according to a press release.
“Professional athletes, like Luis Leandro Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase de la Cruz hold a position of trust - not only with their teammates and their professional leagues, but with fans who believe in fair play,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella, Jr. in Sunday’s press release. “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.”
While the allegations remain allegations at this point, they have attracted the attention of lawmakers and regulators who may have already been stirring following other sports betting-related integrity incidents tied to the NBA, NCAA, and UFC.
MLB also announced Monday that league-partnered sportsbooks, in a bid to reduce the likelihood of shenanigans, will put a nationwide betting limit of $200 on baseball wagers involving single pitches. The books will prohibit those wagers from being bundled into parlays as well, MLB said.
Whether that will be enough to stop state lawmakers from getting involved entirely is uncertain.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, who has been pushing for restrictions on "microbetting" markets, such as those mentioned in the indictment, praised Monday's move by MLB and its partner sportsbooks. DeWine said it would allow his state's Casino Control Commission to "audit and review" adherence to the agreement, and it appears that it would be in lieu of a statewide ban on microbetting in Ohio.
“I commend Commissioner [Rob] Manfred, Major League Baseball, and its partners for taking this action to address the problem of micro-prop bets. By limiting the ability to place large wagers on micro-prop bets, Major League Baseball is taking affirmative steps to protect the integrity of the game and reduce the incentives to participate in improper betting schemes,” DeWine said in a press release. “I urge other sports leagues to follow Major League Baseball’s example with similar action.”
The Ohio Casino Control Commission told Covers on Monday that it is aware of Sunday’s indictment. The Ohio sports betting regulator’s “suspicious wagering” investigation is still ongoing, assistant general counsel Emily Berner said in an email, “and, therefore, the Commission cannot comment further."
