Cleveland Guardians duo Luis Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase have been indicted in connection to a sports gambling investigation.
Prosecutors allege that Ortiz was paid $5,000 for throwing an intentional ball during a game on June 15 against the Seattle Mariners.
Additionally, Clase is alleged to have been given $5,000 for facilitating the rigged pitch and the pair did so again in a game on June 27, receiving $7,000 each.
Clase is believed to have arranged with a bettor as early as May 2023 to throw specific pitches so the gambler could place prop bets in profit and Ortiz joined the scheme just over two years later.
Gamblers won at least $450,000 wagering on the pitches.
In July, news broke that Ortiz was placed on ‘non-disciplinary paid leave’ by the MLB as an investigation into suspicious betting activity began.
Less than a month later, his fellow countryman and teammate Clase was named in another gambling probe with more unusual patterns flagged by sportsbooks.
Ortiz and Clase are known to be close friends in the Guardians locker room, sitting next to each other in spring training and bonding over their passion for the Dominican Republic.
Last month, both players were banned from the Dominican Winter League.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that Ortiz was arrested in Boston on Sunday but Clase is yet to be taken into custody. Ortiz will appear in court on Monday.
The pair are facing up to 65 years in prison if found guilty of the allegations, which include charges of fraud, conspiracy and bribery.
The MLB was looking into two specific pitches from Ortiz, both first-pitch sliders well outside the strike zone which triggered alerts from betting integrity firm IC360.
MLB insider Hector Gomez had recently revealed Clase was not expected to play in the league again due to ‘irrefutable gambling evidence’ found against him.
In a statement, the MLB said: “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.”
Joe Lyons is a betting industry writer for GamblingIndustryNews with years of experience on reputable gambling websites. Joe specialises in long form content in the world of sports betting and gambling. Joe is recognised as an expert in sports fields such as horse racing, soccer, NFL and NBA.
