Guardians pitchers Clase and Ortiz face trial in Brooklyn on fraud charges
The two former Cleveland pitchers are accused of accepting bribes to help Dominican gamblers win over $460,000 on prop bets involving their pitches.
By James Mitchell ·
Federal court proceedings began Monday in Brooklyn for former Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz. The jury trial is expected to last approximately one month and centers on allegations of financial collusion during the 2023 and 2025 seasons.
Prosecutors assert that the pitchers accepted several thousand dollars in payoffs to assist two gamblers from the Dominican Republic. The bettors reportedly won at least $460,000 on in-game prop bets concerning the speed and outcome of specific pitches.
Clase, 28, served as the team's closer and was a three-time All-Star. He was in the fourth year of a five-year, $20 million contract when the charges became public in November 2025. Ortiz, 27, started for the Guardians in 2025 and earned $782,600 that season.
Both men have pleaded not guilty to conspiracy charges. They remain on nondisciplinary leave from the club without pay while the legal process unfolds. Their defense teams argue that the pitchers were not colluding with gamblers but were instead varying pitch placement strategically to deceive batters.
Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto stated Friday that she aims to complete jury selection quickly to allow for shorter opening statements later that afternoon. Several professional baseball players, including catchers and executives, are expected to testify during the trial.
The defendants face four counts: wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, and conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery. Prosecutors originally sought to present evidence that Clase owed $500,000 in U.S. taxes to counter claims he had no financial incentive to cheat.
The judge ruled on Friday that prosecutors cannot show the jury the tax debt evidence. The government provided the documents to defense lawyers several days before the trial, which was past the deadline for turning over evidence to adversaries. Major League Baseball and the Guardians state they have fully cooperated with authorities after MLB contacted federal law enforcement regarding unusual betting activity.
