Former Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz were federally indicted in a scheme prosecutors say involved manipulating individual pitches to benefit bettors. The indictment, unsealed Nov. 10, 2025, alleges Clase started the scheme as early as May 2023 and that bettors won roughly $400,000 from wagers on Clase pitches and about $50,000 on two Ortiz pitches. Both players have denied wrongdoing through counsel and remain on non-disciplinary paid administrative leave.
Immediate next steps in the criminal process
– Arraignment/initial appearance: After an indictment is unsealed, defendants are typically scheduled for an initial federal court appearance (arraignment) in the Eastern District of New York, where charges are formally read and the defendants enter pleas. Bail and conditions of release, if not already addressed, can be set at that hearing.
– Pretrial phase and discovery: If the defendants plead not guilty, the case moves into pretrial proceedings. Prosecutors will disclose evidence to defense counsel (discovery), which may include betting records, communications, bank records showing alleged kickbacks, integrity alerts from monitoring firms, and witness interviews.
– Motions and negotiations: Defense and prosecution may file pretrial motions (e.g., to suppress evidence). Plea negotiations are common in federal cases; defendants may accept plea deals if terms are reached. If no plea is agreed upon, the case proceeds toward trial.
– Trial or plea resolution: A trial would determine guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, sentencing would follow federal guidelines and statutory penalties tied to the charges in the indictment.
– Possible outcomes: Convictions can lead to prison time, fines, restitution, and other federal penalties. Defendants who cooperate might receive reduced sentences. The government could also seek forfeiture of illicit gains.
What MLB and the Guardians are likely to do next
– MLB’s investigation remains open: MLB typically pauses final disciplinary action while federal investigations are active, but with the indictment unsealed the league can move forward if it believes it has sufficient independent evidence.
– Administrative status: Clase and Ortiz remain on non-disciplinary paid administrative leave through spring training, per MLB practice when criminal inquiries are pending.
– Potential league discipline: MLB enforces Rule 21, which bars players from betting on baseball. The league can impose discipline—up to and including a lifetime ban—if it concludes the players violated league rules. The standard for MLB discipline is whether the evidence would likely hold up at an appeal hearing, not the government’s burden of proof in criminal court.
– Timing: MLB could announce discipline before the criminal case is resolved if its investigation uncovers enough evidence to meet its internal threshold.
Integrity, sportsbooks and industry response
– Betting limits and rule changes: MLB announced that authorized sportsbooks agreed to a $200 nationwide limit on wagers on individual pitches (e.g., ball/strike, pitch velocity) and that pitch-level bets will be excluded from parlays to reduce incentives for manipulation.
– How the scheme was flagged: A sportsbook operator noticed unusual betting on Ortiz’s first pitches in two games and alerted Integrity Compliance 360 (IC360). IC360 notified clients—including MLB and state regulators—triggering league and federal scrutiny.
– Micro-betting risks: Some sportsbooks offer micro-bets on individual pitches (result or velocity). Those markets can be vulnerable to manipulation because small, discrete events can be targeted and sometimes carried in parlays to magnify payouts.
What this means for the game and timeline expectations
– The criminal case could take months to years to resolve, depending on whether there are plea deals, complex discovery, pretrial litigation, or a full trial.
– MLB’s disciplinary process could conclude sooner if the league determines it has sufficient evidence; history shows MLB has handed down severe penalties for betting-related offenses even before criminal cases conclude.
– Broader industry impacts: The case prompted immediate changes to betting practices around pitch-level markets and renewed focus on monitoring and integrity controls across sportsbooks and leagues.
Key factual points from the indictment and investigations
– Allegations: Prosecutors allege Clase and Ortiz conspired with bettors to manipulate individual pitches (e.g., whether a pitch would be a ball or strike or its velocity) in exchange for kickbacks. The indictment claims bettors won about $400,000 on Clase-related wagers and about $50,000 on two Ortiz-targeted pitches.
– Specific incidents: Ortiz is accused of receiving payments for specific first-pitch-at-bat outcomes in games on June 15 and June 27, 2025; IC360 flagged irregular betting on those pitches.
– Professional stakes: Clase is a multi-time All-Star and award-winning reliever with substantial career earnings; alleged kickbacks cited in the indictment are a small fraction of his career income but are central to the criminal case and MLB’s integrity concerns.
– Defense: Both players’ attorneys have publicly denied their clients’ involvement and say they will contest the charges.
Bottom line
The immediate legal next steps are standard federal criminal procedures—arraignment, discovery, pretrial motions, possible plea talks, and either a trial or plea resolution. Concurrently, MLB will continue its probe and can impose league discipline if it concludes the evidence warrants action under its rules. Meanwhile, sportsbooks and monitoring firms have already tightened rules around pitch-level betting to reduce the risk of manipulation.
