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The sports betting scandal has reached the MLB.
Last month, the FBI arrested several NBA players for fixing games with the mob.
On Sunday, the Department of Justice announced that they had arrested Cleveland Guardians pitchers Luis Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase for allegedly rigging pitches that allowed their conspirators to profit from illegal wagers.
“The defendants, two Major League Baseball players playing for the Cleveland Guardians, conspired with bettors to rig pitches in professional baseball games so that the bettors could profit from illegal wagers made based on that information”
BREAKING: The Department of Justice has charged two Cleveland Guardians pitchers, Luis Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase, in sports betting and money laundering conspiracy. pic.twitter.com/c5narUTgKr
— Pablo Torre 👀 (@PabloTorre) November 9, 2025
According to the DOJ, on June 15th, Ortiz was paid $5,000 to intentionally throw a ball, while CLase was paid $5,000 for facilitating the deal.
The pair allegedly did it again on June 27th for $7,000 each.
The 23-page indictment against Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz lays out the alleged scheme for the pitchers to intentionally throw balls so bettors could wager on pitches to be balls or strikes. It started, prosecutors say, as early as May 2023 with Clase and later included Ortiz.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 9, 2025
Prosecutors allege that Luis Ortiz was paid $5,000 for throwing an intentional ball June 15 and Emmanuel Clase given $5,000 for facilitating it. They did it again, according to the indictment, June 27. The payment for each on that pitch was $7,000 apiece.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 9, 2025
Passan goes on to report that the two pitchers face 65 years in prison if convicted of all charges.
Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz face up to 65 years in prison if convicted on all charges, according to the Eastern District of New York, which outlined the case against Clase and Ortiz after indicting them on fraud, conspiracy and bribery charges. pic.twitter.com/9UjlZ2Iw7m
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 9, 2025
The MLB released a statement after the arrests were made.
“MLB contacted federal law enforcement at the outset of its investigation and has fully cooperated throughout the process. We are aware of the indictment and today’s arrest, and our investigation is ongoing.”
Ortiz was currently making $780,000/year and Clase was signed to a 5-year $20 million deal with the Guardians.