Federal prosecutors made several aggressive opening remarks during Wednesday’s start of the gambling fraud trial of Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz.
“The defendants, Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, are cheaters,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Urquiola told jurors.
Prosecutors allege the pitchers threw intentional pitches to help gamblers win Major League Baseball prop bets. The gamblers allegedly bet on individual pitches, including whether they would be balls or strikes and how fast the pitches would travel, according to the New York Daily News.
Prosecutors say the alleged scheme led to at least $460,000 in winnings and that they have text messages as evidence. Both pitchers have pleaded not guilty and are currently on unpaid leave from MLB.
Prosecutors Claim Guardians Pitchers Used Secret Codes To Rig Bets
The alleged scheme began in 2023, after Emmanuel Clase, 28, became involved with a Dominican gambler, Enoc Pena.
Prosecutors allege that Clase told Pena what pitches he would throw, allowing gamblers to bet on whether pitches would be balls or strikes and how fast he would throw them. Luis Ortiz, 27, allegedly became involved with the scheme in 2025.
In October 2025, one MLB insider claimed, “Clase will never pitch in MLB again. The gambling evidence found against him is irrefutable.” Federal prosecutors also previously identified 18 pitches they believe Emmanuel Clase deliberately manipulated.
Defense Lawyers Say The Gambling Allegations Are Based On Lies
The Athletic reports that prosecutors say text messages containing words like “chicken” and “rooster” were actually coded communications about rigged pitches and bets.
“He wanted a cut, too. Clase agreed to throw rigged pitches for kickbacks, and that’s exactly what happened,” Urquiola said. “Then Clase brought in a partner, his fellow teammate and pitcher, Luis Ortiz.”
Emmanuel Clase’s lawyer, Michael Bronson, claims Enoc Pena was just a shady gambler who exploited their friendship. He said Pena guessed what pitches Clase would throw and told other gamblers he had insider knowledge.
Regarding the chicken and rooster texts, Bronson said they were about cockfighting in the Dominican Republic, where it’s legal.
Luis Ortiz’s lawyer, Samuel Landes, pointed out that prosecutors have found only two suspected pitches relating to his client.
“That’s not a conspiracy. That’s just baseball,” Landes told the jury, according to FOX 8.
Strangely, prosecutors also do not plan to call Enoc Pena to testify at the trial, despite his alleged role in the scheme.
“Whether he testifies or not, the government’s case is going to depend on Mr. Pena,” Bronson told jurors. “Mr. Pena is an admitted gambling addict. He is a proven, serial liar.”