Guardians Pitchers Face Month-Long Trial on Brooklyn Federal Bench
Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz begin jury selection Monday, accused of accepting bribes from Dominican bettors to manipulate game outcomes.
By Thomas Obasi ·
The careers of two former Cleveland Guardians pitchers hang in the balance as they enter a federal courtroom in Brooklyn. Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz begin jury selection on Monday, facing charges that they accepted bribes to help Dominican bettors win wagers on specific pitches.
Prosecutors allege the duo conspired to commit wire fraud and money laundering. The indictment states they received several thousand dollars in illegal payments. In return, they provided information on the speed and outcome of certain pitches. This strategy allowed two bettors from the Dominican Republic to earn at least $460,000.
Clase, a former closer, began sharing pitch details with the bettors in 2023. He recruited Ortiz, a starting pitcher, into the scheme in 2025. Both men pleaded not guilty to the charges. They currently serve on the Guardians' non-disciplinary disabled list without pay while the trial proceeds.
Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto set a tight schedule for the proceedings. She expects to complete juror selection quickly enough for opening arguments to begin the same afternoon. The trial is scheduled to last approximately one month. Prosecutors anticipate calling several professional baseball players, including catchers and executives, as witnesses.
Clase, 28, is a three-time All-Star and two-time American League Relief Pitcher of the Year. He had completed the fourth year of a five-year, $20 million contract when the charges were filed in November 2025. Ortiz, 27, earned $782,600 pitching for the Guardians during the 2025 season.
Defense attorneys argue the pitchers did not collude with gamblers. Instead, they claim the players strategically varied their pitch locations to deceive batters. Ortiz's lawyers previously sought to separate his trial from Clase's, a motion the court denied.
The judge ruled Friday that prosecutors cannot show the jury evidence that Clase owed $500,000 in U.S. taxes. The government failed to provide that evidence to the defense within the required deadline. A prosecutor had argued the tax debt was relevant to counter claims that Clase had no financial incentive to collude because he held millions of dollars in accounts in the Dominican Republic.
Major League Baseball and the Guardians stated they cooperated fully with authorities. The league contacted federal law enforcement after investigating unusual betting activity.
