Guardians pitchers face federal fraud trial in Brooklyn
Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz are accused of accepting thousands in bribes to help Dominican gamblers win at least $460,000 on in-game prop bets.
By Sarah Montgomery ·
Former Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz stood trial Monday in Brooklyn federal court. The jury will determine whether the two men accepted bribes to coordinate with gamblers on individual pitches. If convicted, both players face prison time. They currently remain on nondisciplinary leave from the Guardians without pay.
Prosecutors allege the pair conspired to help two gamblers from the Dominican Republic profit from in-game prop bets. The bettors wagered on the speed and outcome of specific pitches. According to the indictment, the scheme generated at least $460,000 in winnings for the bettors. Clase, the team's former closer, reportedly began sharing information in 2023. He recruited starter Ortiz into the arrangement in 2025.
Clase, 28, is a three-time All-Star and two-time American League Reliever of the Year. He had completed his fourth season of a $20 million, five-year contract when charges were revealed in November 2025. Ortiz, 27, earned $782,600 during the 2025 season. Both men have pleaded not guilty to conspiracy charges. Ortiz's lawyers sought a separate trial but lost that bid.
Defense attorneys plan to argue the pitchers were not colluding with gamblers. They intend to present evidence that the players were simply varying pitch placement strategically to deceive batters. Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto ruled Friday that prosecutors cannot present proof that Clase owed $500,000 in U.S. taxes. The judge determined the evidence was provided to defense counsel late, missing a strict deadline.
A prosecutor argued the tax debt was relevant to counter claims that Clase had no financial incentive to cheat because of millions in Dominican accounts. The judge rejected that argument. The trial is expected to last about one month. Catchers and baseball executives are among the witnesses scheduled to testify.
Major League Baseball stated it contacted federal law enforcement after investigating unusual betting activity. The league and the Guardians have both said they fully cooperated with authorities. Matsumoto hopes to finish jury selection quickly. She aims to have lawyers deliver short opening statements in the afternoon.
The next major procedural step is the conclusion of jury selection. Once jurors are seated, both sides will present their opening arguments to the panel.
