Guardians Pitchers Face Federal Trial

Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz stand accused of rigging pitches for profit in a federal trial that began Monday in Brooklyn. The two former Cleveland Guardians pitchers face a jury that will determine their guilt in a scheme prosecutors say netted gamblers at least $460,000. Both men have pleaded not guilty and remain on unpaid leave from the Guardians while the case proceeds.

The indictment alleges that the pitchers accepted thousands of dollars in payoffs to collude with two Dominican Republic-based bettors. The bets targeted the speed and outcome of specific in-game pitches. Clase, a former closer, allegedly began sharing information with the bettors in 2023. He reportedly recruited Ortiz, a starting pitcher, into the plan in 2025.

Clase and Ortiz face four counts each. These include wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, and conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery. The trial is expected to last one month. Witnesses will include professional catchers and baseball executives. Classe is 28 and Ortiz is 27.

Defense attorneys argue that the pitchers were simply varying pitch placement to confuse batters. They claim no collusion occurred. Judge Kiyo A Matsumoto ruled on Friday that prosecutors cannot present evidence of a $500,000 tax debt owed by Clase. The judge determined the government missed the deadline to provide that evidence to the defense.

A prosecutor argued that the tax debt was necessary to counter claims that Clase had no financial incentive to take bribes. Clase had several million dollars in accounts in the Dominican Republic. The judge agreed to exclude the tax evidence because it was provided to defense lawyers only days before the deadline.

Clase is a three-time All-Star and two-time American League Reliever of the Year. He completed his fourth season on a five-year, $20 million contract when the charges were revealed in November 2025. Ortiz earned $782,600 for the Guardians in the 2025 season. Ortiz’s lawyers previously sought a separate trial but were denied.

Major League Baseball and the Guardians state they have fully cooperated with authorities. MLB contacted federal law enforcement after detecting unusual betting activity. The trial marks the first time MLB pitchers face such charges in a jury setting.