Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Luis Ortiz has pleaded not guilty amid charges that he took bribes on individual pitches thrown dating back to 2023.
Key Takeaways
- Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz has pleaded not guilty to various charges amidst an ongoing investigation into his alleged involvement in a sports betting scheme.
- Fellow pitcher Emmanuel Clase also maintains his innocence and is expected in court on Thursday.
- In the wake of the scandal, increasing integrity concerns have prompted MLB to adjust and limit its wagering rules on individual pitches with partnered sportsbooks.
Alongside the 26-year-old, All-Star teammate and Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase is also charged with participating in the alleged rigging effort.
Arrested on Sunday, Ortiz appeared in Brooklyn court on Wednesday, according to the Associated Press, and was released on a $500,000 bond with his next hearing scheduled for December.
Other conditions on his release included surrendering his passport, as well as limiting travel to Massachusetts, New York, and Ohio, and has been issued GPS monitoring. He’ll also be required not to gamble, unable to possess firearms, any illicit drugs, and is required to maintain no contact with any co-conspirators, witnesses, or victims.
Ortiz did not respond to reporters seeking comment.
More to come on groundbreaking case
Alongside Ortiz, Clase is expected to be arraigned at the same courthouse on Thursday, according to the AP. The three-time All-Star’s lawyer said in a statement that he maintains his innocence in the case.
“Emmanuel Clase has devoted his life to baseball and doing everything in his power to help his team win,” Clase’s lawyer, Michael Ferrara, said Wednesday.
The hurlers have both been placed on non-paid disciplinary leave since this summer, and while the charges have yet to be proven in court, the pair could face up to 65 years in prison if convicted on all charges. Those include wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, and conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery.
“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 Joseph Nocella, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District, in a statement earlier this week.
“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.”
MLB, meanwhile, has taken measures in the wake of this latest scandal to help prevent similar situations in the future. The league, alongside its sportsbook partners, has instituted a $200 maximum bet for pitch-level markets.
