JUST IN: Two Cleveland Guardians Players Indicted for ‘Rigging Pitches’ in Big Bucks Gambling Scheme

Emmanuel Clase (Associated Press)

Two Cleveland Guardians pitchers, Luis Ortiz and star reliever Emmanuel Clase, were indicted on Sunday for intentionally throwing bad pitches in order to enrich their gambling partners and themselves, according to prosecutors.

Clase and Ortiz, according to the indictment, agreed to “rigging pitches” — either by throwing them poorly or at a certain speed — in return for kickback payments. Their co-conspirators bet on certain pitches being made, based on their inside information, and won at least $450,000, according to the prosecutors at the Eastern District of New York.

Here is the key portion of the indictment:

“In some instances, the defendants received bribes and kickback payments-funneled through third parties-in exchange for rigging pitches.

“Through this scheme, the defendants defrauded betting platforms, deprived Major League Baseball and the Cleveland Guardians of their honest services, illegally enriched themselves and their co-conspirators, misled the public, and betrayed America’s pastime.”

Clase and Ortiz are facing charges of wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery, money laundering conspiracy, and honest services wire fraud conspiracy. Ortiz was arrested on Sunday in Boston, while Clase, a native of the Dominican Repubic, has not been arrested.

Each of the charges against the pitchers carry sentences of between 5 and 20 years in prison.

Clase had been throwing bogus pitches since around May 2023, prosecutors said, while Ortiz joined the scheme in June. Both pitchers received $5,000 in some cases and $7,000 in other instances to throw balls, according to the indictment.

Clips of Clase and Ortiz throwing horrendous pitches that hit the dirt or were way outside the strike zone have been circulating for months on X.

Clase’s inclusion in the scheme stands out especially, considering he was a three-time all-star and won the Reliever of the Year award twice. He signed a 5 year, $20 million deal in 2022 with Cleveland.

ESPN noted the prosecutors behind Sunday’s indictment are from the same US Attorney’s office that filed charges against NBA player Terry Rozier, hall-of-famer Chauncey Billups, and several others in separate gambling scandals last month.

Ortiz is expected in court on Monday.

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