Federal prosecutors say bribes were paid to influence specific pitch outcomes; MLB moves to restrict “micro-bets.”
BROOKLYN, N.Y. — A federal grand jury has indicted Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis L. Ortiz, accusing them of accepting bribes to manipulate the results of individual pitches that bettors wagered on during Major League Baseball games. The charges were unsealed Sunday in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.
Prosecutors allege the scheme allowed bettors to reap hundreds of thousands of dollars by targeting prop wagers tied to one-off pitch outcomes. The case elevates concerns about micro-betting markets in professional sports and prompted MLB and major sportsbooks to announce new nationwide limits on pitch-level bets. Ortiz was arrested and released on bond after an initial court appearance; Clase was not in U.S. custody as of Monday. Both players have been on paid leave since midsummer while MLB cooperates with federal authorities. Defense attorneys have said the pitchers deny wrongdoing.
According to the indictment, the alleged fixing began as early as 2023 and involved text messages and calls between the pitchers and a group of gamblers. Investigators say bettors placed wagers on whether the next pitch would be a ball, or if a pitch would be thrown in the dirt, then coordinated with one or both players to increase the likelihood of those outcomes. Prosecutors say Clase communicated directly with bettors first and later brought in Ortiz during the 2025 season. In several games named in the charging documents, including appearances against National League opponents, the bettors allegedly won large sums when targeted pitches missed the strike zone by design. “Professional athletes hold a position of trust with their teammates, leagues and fans,” U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said in a statement. “As alleged, the defendants sold that trust to gamblers by fixing pitches.”
The indictment charges each pitcher with wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery, and money laundering conspiracy. If convicted on all counts, the maximum penalties could total decades in prison. Prosecutors say bettors connected to the scheme won at least $400,000 to more than $460,000 on wagers tied to manipulated pitches over a period that spanned multiple seasons. Ortiz, arrested in Boston, appeared in federal court Monday and was released on bond with travel and contact restrictions. The court scheduled his next appearance in New York. Clase, an All-Star reliever and one of the Guardians’ most prominent players, had been on paid administrative leave since late July and had not pitched after July 26.
MLB and leading sportsbooks announced new restrictions Monday aimed at curbing integrity risks from micro-betting. The league said wagers on individual pitches will be capped at $200 nationwide and barred from inclusion in parlays across partner operators. League officials described pitch-by-pitch bets as uniquely vulnerable because the outcome can hinge on a single player and may not affect the final score. Sportsbooks representing the vast majority of U.S. handle agreed to the changes. MLB said it has been cooperating with law enforcement since early in the inquiry and reiterated that players are prohibited from betting on baseball at any level.
The Guardians acknowledged the charges and said the club is cooperating with both MLB and federal authorities. Clase had made 48 appearances with a 3.23 ERA before he was placed on leave in late July; Ortiz, a starter acquired ahead of the season, made 16 starts and went 4–9 before his suspension. Team officials declined to comment on the details of the case, citing the active investigation. The players’ agents and attorneys have maintained that both men will contest the allegations. Prosecutors emphasized that the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court and said additional arrests of non-players could follow.
The case comes amid a broader push by leagues and regulators to police betting-related misconduct as legal sports gambling expands. MLB permanently banned one player in 2024 for wagering on baseball and suspended several others for separate violations. Other leagues have faced their own scandals, including a recent NBA case involving insider information and prop bets. Integrity monitors employed by leagues and sportsbooks flag unusual betting patterns to investigators; in this case, authorities say irregular wagering around single-pitch markets drew attention to certain games and prompted a coordinated review of pitch-by-pitch data, communications and financial transactions.
Court filings describe messages in which bettors allegedly pressed for specific outcomes and celebrated wins after targeted pitches. Investigators say cash changed hands through transfers and intermediaries, with promised kickbacks escalating as the scheme continued. Charging documents cite instances where bettors purportedly requested balls in the dirt or noncompetitive pitches to satisfy next-pitch wagers. Prosecutors did not identify the sportsbooks by name and did not specify every game under scrutiny, noting some details remain under seal or under active review. Authorities said they are still assessing whether any other players, coaches or club personnel had knowledge of the alleged plot.
Next steps include arraignments in Brooklyn, additional discovery, and potential motions from the defense teams to dismiss or limit the charges. MLB’s Department of Investigations is expected to keep both players on administrative leave while the criminal case proceeds. Any league discipline under baseball’s gambling rules would likely wait until after a verdict or plea, though the commissioner retains broad authority. Court calendars indicate an initial status conference could be set before Thanksgiving; a grand jury could return superseding charges if new evidence emerges. Separate from the criminal case, sportsbooks will implement the new betting limits immediately, with the league planning to evaluate whether additional markets pose similar risks.
In Cleveland, some fans gathered outside the ballpark Monday as local media trucks lined the curb. “You want to believe what you’re watching is real,” said Marcus Hill, wearing a navy cap with the team’s “C.” Across the street, a vendor counted a thin lunch crowd. “Usually we’re slammed when there’s news,” she said. “Today, people seem stunned.” At the Guardians’ complex, a team employee rolled a cart of baseballs past reporters and declined to comment. In New York, outside the federal courthouse, a handful of passersby stopped to read the docket board. “We have to let the process play out,” said Teresa Alvarez, who works nearby. “But it’s hard to hear this about the game.”
As of Tuesday morning, both players remained on paid leave while prosecutors prepared for initial proceedings in Brooklyn and sportsbooks began capping pitch-level wagers. Further court dates are expected to be set this week, with MLB saying it will update its review as new filings become public.
Author note: Last updated November 11, 2025.