Cleveland Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz appeared in federal court Monday on charges accusing him and teammate Emmanuel Clase of take bribes to help colleagues win bets placed on the fields they threw.
A judge in Boston allowed Ortiz to be released but with certain conditions, including surrendering his passport, limiting travel to the northeastern United States and posting bail of $500,000. He must also avoid contact with anyone who could be considered a victim, witness or co-defendant in the case.
Ortiz, dressed in a pale green tracksuit, said nothing in court. After this, his lawyers refused to talk to journalists.
Shortly after the hearing, Major League Baseball announced new restrictions on betting on individual fields, saying its authorized gaming operators would cap bets on them at $200 and exclude them from parlays.
According to the indictment against Ortiz and Claz, they received several thousand dollars in payments to help two unnamed gamblers in their home country of the Dominican Republic win at least $460,000 on bets placed on the speed and outcome of certain courses.
Claeys, a three-time All-Star, and Ortiz, a starting pitcher, have been on undisciplinary leave with pay since July. Major League Baseball began investigating what he said was unusually high betting activity in the game when the two pitched.
Ortiz, 26, was arrested Sunday by the FBI at Logan International Airport in Boston. Claise, 27, is believed to be outside the United States, according to a law enforcement official familiar with the situation.
Ortiz and Claes “betrayed America's entertainment,” U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said Sunday. “Integrity, integrity and fair play are part of the DNA of professional sport. When corruption permeates a sport, it not only brings shame to the participants, it undermines public trust in an institution that is vital and dear to all of us.”
Ortiz's lawyer, Chris Georgalis, said in a statement Sunday that his client is innocent and “will never, ever, unduly influence the game – for anyone or anything.”
Georgalis said Ortiz's defense team previously told prosecutors that payments and money transfers between him and individuals in the Dominican Republic were for legitimate business.
MLB said it contacted federal law enforcement when it began investigating the unusual betting activity and has fully cooperated 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 the recent actions by law enforcement. We will continue to fully cooperate with both law enforcement and Major League Baseball as their investigations continue.”
Clayes and Ortiz are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, honest services fraud conspiracy, 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.
Claeys, a two-time American League Offensive Player of the Year, earned a $4.5 million salary in 2025, the fourth season of a five-year, $20 million contract. He began providing players with information about his pitches in 2023 but did not ask for payments until this year, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said Ortiz, whose salary this year was $782,600, joined the scheme in June and is accused of tampering with pitches in games against the Seattle Mariners and St. Louis Cardinals.
The charges are the latest development in a federal crackdown on professional sports betting.
Last month, more than 30 people, including basketball notables such as Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, were arrested for gambling a sweep that shook the NBA.
