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Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said Wednesday the league will cooperate with a U.S. Senate committee's request for documents detailing the case. gambling investigations.
“We are going to respond fully, collaboratively and in a timely manner to Senate investigation,” Manfred said during a press conference at the owners meeting.
The sport has been rocked by a scandal involving Cleveland Guardians players Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, who are accused of aiding the players by accepting bribes to rig the pitches.
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MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred speaks during the first round of the MLB Baseball Draft on July 13, 2025 in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Senators Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee sent a letter to Manfred on Monday asking for the information by Dec. 5.
The committee is asking for answers to six questions by December 5th.
- “How and when did MLB become aware of suspicious betting and game manipulation by either Emmanuel Clase or Luis Ortiz? Please provide sufficient documents to support your answer?
- “Provide documents sufficient to confirm MLB policies and procedures regarding sports betting, gambling or game rigging by players, coaches, employees or owners of MLB or an affiliated team.”
- “List any investigations of players, coaches, employees or owners of MLB or an affiliated team for violations of MLB rules relating to sports betting, gambling or game rigging, or related criminal conduct during the period from January 1, 2020 to the present.”
- “Provide all documents relevant to any investigation listed in the response to Request 3, including: The procedures and policies used to conduct any related investigation; Documents obtained by third parties or otherwise collected by MLB in the course of any related investigation; and the findings, conclusions and actions taken as a result of any related investigation.”
- The procedures and policies used to conduct any relevant investigation;
- Documents obtained by third parties or otherwise collected by MLB in the course of any related investigation; And
- Findings, conclusions and actions taken as a result of any relevant investigation.”
- “Provide communications between MLB and any sports betting platform or sports gambling integrity monitor regarding suspicious or flagged sports bets: placed by players, coaches, employees or owners of MLB or an affiliated team; or featured in MLB games or offerings related to MLB games, players or teams.”
- Posted by players, coaches, employees or owners of MLB or an affiliated team; or
- Placed on MLB games or in offers related to MLB games, players or teams.”
- “Explain to what extent MLB has addressed and plans to further address the alleged incidents of sports betting, gambling and game rigging that have occurred, including: How, if at all, MLB plans to review its rules, policies, procedures or enforcement structure; How, if at all, MLB plans to revise or enforce its rules regarding cell phone use during games; and How MLB plans to ensure that players, employees, coaches and owners do not have ties to organized crime.”
- How, if at all, MLB plans to revise its rules, policies, procedures or enforcement structure;
- How, if at all, does MLB plan to revise or enforce its rules regarding cell phone use during games? And
- How MLB Plans to Ensure Players, Employees, Coaches and Owners Are Not Associated with Organized Crime.”
Two days after the allegations were made public on Nov. 9, MLB said its authorized gaming operators would cap bets on individual fields at $200 and exclude them from parlays.
“We believe that the steps we've taken in terms of limiting the size of these bets and banning parlays based on them are really, really significant changes that should reduce the incentive for anyone to participate inappropriately,” Manfred said.
MLB REFUSES NEW BETTING LIMIT AFTER CLEVELAND PITCHERS ACCUSED OF GAMBLING SCHEME
Senators Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee sent a letter to Manfred on Monday asking for the information by Dec. 5. (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)
Manfred said there is no timetable for MLB's internal investigation into Cleveland pitchers. Ortiz was placed on paid leave on July 3 and Claeys was placed on paid leave on July 28.
“We believe we should take advantage of the offseason to conduct as thorough and complete an investigation as possible,” he said.
Both Ortiz and Claeys have pleaded not guilty.
Claeys and Ortiz were arrested. and appeared in federal court in New York last week. Claeys, a three-time All-Star, has pleaded not guilty to charges that he accepted bribes to help players win money at their sites. Ortiz also pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The indictment states that from May 2023 to June 2025, Claeys agreed with one co-conspirator to “make certain pitches in certain MLB games” so that players with whom they were allegedly partnered would “profit from illegal bets made based on this inside information.” Ortiz allegedly joined the scheme in June 2025.
The indictment says Claeys advised one bettor to throw the ball on the first pitch of his bat when he was brought into play in relief. The indictment cited incidents in specific games, including May 19, 2023. New York Mets; June 2, 2023 vs. Minnesota Twins; and June 7, 2023 against the Boston Red Sox.
According to the indictment, Claeys allegedly began demanding and receiving bribes and kickbacks in exchange for agreeing to make certain presentations in April. In one case, the indictment says, Clase used his phone in the middle of a game to coordinate with a bettor on a pitch he was about to throw.
Players allegedly won $400,000 on betting platforms on courses run by Claeys between 2023 and 2025.
When Ortiz allegedly joined the scheme, the indictment says, he agreed to throw balls through strikes on certain fields in exchange for bribes or kickbacks. He allegedly agreed to throw the ball on June 15 against Seattle Mariners for about $5,000 for his first pitch in the second inning.
The indictment says Ortiz agreed to throw out his first pitch of the third inning on June 27 against the St. Louis Cardinals for $7,000. In June 2025, players won at least $60,000 on pitches thrown by Ortiz.
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Cleveland Guardians pitchers Luis Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase's furloughs have been extended indefinitely through August 31, 2025. (IMAGN/AP)
The announcement of the indictment came three weeks later. NBA the figures were obtained during an FBI operation related to illegal gambling. Chauncey Billups, Terry Rozier and Damon Jones were among more than two dozen arrested in the scheme.
Fox News Digital's Ryan Gaydos and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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