Cleveland Guardians’ Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz charged with pitch rigging : NPR

NEW YORK — Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Claes and Luis Ortiz are charged with accepting bribes from sports bettors to throw certain types of pitches, including tossing balls in the dirt instead of strikes to ensure successful bets.

According to an indictment unsealed Sunday in Brooklyn federal court, the highly paid hurlers received thousands of dollars in payouts to help two unnamed players from their native Dominican Republic win at least $460,000 on in-game bets on the speed and outcome of certain pitches.

Claeys, a former Guardians closer, and Ortiz, a starter, have been on non-disciplinary leave with pay since July when Major League Baseball began investigating what they said was unusually high in-game betting activity when they pitched. Some of the games in question took place in April, May and June.

Ortiz, 26, was arrested Sunday by the FBI at Logan International Airport in Boston. He is expected to appear in federal court in Boston on Monday. Claeys, 27, was not in custody, officials said.

Ortiz and Claeys “betrayed America's entertainment,” U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said. “Integrity, honesty and fair play are part of the DNA of professional sports. When corruption permeates a sport, it not only brings shame to the participants, but also undermines public trust in an institution that is vital and dear to all of us.”

Ortiz's lawyer, Chris Georgalis, said in a statement that his client is innocent and “will never, ever, unduly influence the game – for anyone or anything.”

Georgalis said Ortiz's defense team previously provided prosecutors with documented evidence that payments and money transfers between him and individuals in the Dominican Republic were carried out as part of legitimate business.

“There is no credible evidence that Louis consciously did anything other than try to win the game on every pitch and every inning. Louis hopes to fight these charges in court,” Georgalis said.

Clase's lawyer did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment. The Major League Baseball Players Association had no comment.

Unusual bookmaking activity prompts investigation

Major League Baseball said it contacted federal law enforcement when it began investigating unusual betting activity and was “fully cooperating” with authorities. “We are aware of the allegation and today’s arrest, and our investigation is ongoing,” the league said in a statement.

In a statement, The Guardians said: “We are aware of recent law enforcement actions. We will continue to fully cooperate with both law enforcement and Major League Baseball as their investigations continue.”

Claeys and Ortiz are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit honest services fraud, money laundering conspiracy and conspiracy to influence athletic competition through bribery. The most serious charges carry penalties of up to 20 years in prison.

In one example cited in the indictment, Claeys allegedly invited a player to a game against the Boston Red Sox in April and spoke with him on the phone immediately before taking the mound. Four minutes later, the indictment said, the player and his partners won $11,000 by betting that Clase would throw a certain pitch slower than 97.95 mph (157.63 kph).

In May, the indictment says, Clase agreed to throw a ball at a certain point in a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, but the batter swung, resulting in a hit that cost bettors $4,000. After the game, which the Guardians won, Clase sent one of the players text messages containing images of a man hanging himself with toilet paper and the sad face of a puppy, the indictment says.

Claeys, a three-time All-Star and two-time American League Player of the Year, received a $4.5 million salary in 2025, the fourth season of a five-year, $20 million contract. The three-time AL saves leader began providing players with information about his pitches in 2023 but did not ask for payments until this year, prosecutors said.

The indictment cited specific pitches that Claeys allegedly rigged—all of which were first pitches when he entered to start the inning: a 98.5 mph (158.5 km/h) cutter low and inside to the New York Mets' Starling Martha on May 19, 2023; an 89.4 mph (143.8 km/h) slider to Minnesota's Ryan Jeffers that bounced wide of home plate on June 3, 2023; an 89.4 mph slider to Kansas City's Bobby Witt Jr. on April 12; speedboat speeding 99.1 mph (159.5 km/h) through the mud to Max Kepler of Philadelphia on May 11; On May 13, the slider bounced 89.1 mph (143.4) toward Milwaukee's Jake Bowers; and an 87.5 mph (140.8 km/h) slider to Santiago Espinal in Cincinnati on May 17.

Prosecutors said Ortiz, whose salary this year was $782,600, got involved in the scheme in June and is accused of tampering with pitches in games against the Seattle Mariners and St. Louis Cardinals.

Ortiz was cited for throwing an 86.7 mph (139.5 km/h) first-pitch slider to Seattle's Randy Arozarena to start the second inning on June 15 and throwing an 86.7 mph (139.5 km/h) first-pitch slider to St. Louis' Pedro Pages, who walked to lead off the third inning on June 27.

Dozens of professional athletes face gambling charges

The charges are the latest high-profile development in the federal crackdown on betting in professional sports.

Last month, more than 30 people, including prominent basketball figures such as Portland Trail Blazers head coach and Basketball Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, were arrested in a gambling spree that rocked the NBA.

Sports betting scandals have long been a concern, but a May 2018 U.S. Supreme Court decision led to a wave of gambling incidents involving athletes and officials. The ruling ended the federal ban on sports betting in most states and opened the door for online sportsbooks to take a prominent place in the sports ecosystem.

Major League Baseball suspended five players in June 2024, including a lifetime ban for San Diego infielder Tucupita Marcano for allegedly placing 387 bets on baseball at a legal sportsbook totaling more than $150,000.