Guardians pitchers face fraud trial in New York

Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, both former pitchers for the Cleveland Guardians, face a jury trial starting Monday in federal court in Brooklyn. Prosecutors accuse the two of accepting bribes to help Dominican Republic-based gamblers win at least $460,000 on in-game prop bets regarding the speed and outcome of specific pitches.

Clase, 28, served as the Guardians’ closer, while Ortiz, 27, was a starting pitcher. The indictment states that Clase began sharing pitch information with the bettors in 2023 and brought Ortiz into the scheme in 2025. Both players have pleaded not guilty to conspiracy charges. They remain on nondisciplinary leave from the club without pay while the legal process unfolds.

The trial is expected to last one month. Defense attorneys plan to argue that the pitchers were not colluding with gamblers but were instead using strategic pitch placement to deceive batters. Witnesses scheduled to testify include several professional baseball players, catchers, and baseball executives.

Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto stated on Friday that she intends to complete jury selection quickly so that opening statements can be delivered later that afternoon. She ruled that prosecutors cannot present evidence showing Clase owed $500,000 in U.S. taxes because the government provided that information to defense lawyers several days after the discovery deadline. A prosecutor argued the evidence was necessary to counter claims that Clase had no financial incentive to cheat due to assets held in the Dominican Republic.

Clase had completed his fourth season of a five-year, $20 million contract when the charges became public in November 2025. He is a three-time All-Star and two-time American League Reliever of the Year. Ortiz earned $782,600 during the 2025 season.

The pitchers face four counts: wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, and conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery. Major League Baseball and the Guardians have stated they fully cooperated with authorities. MLB reported contacting federal law enforcement after investigating unusual betting activity.

Lawyers for Ortiz previously sought a separate trial from Clase but were unsuccessful in that motion. The case will now proceed with both defendants before the same jury in Brooklyn.