Guardians Pitchers Face Trial As MLB Betting Scandal Deepens

The world of Major League Baseball is no stranger to controversy, but the recent federal indictments of Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis L. Ortiz have sent shockwaves through the sport and beyond. With jury selection for their trial set for May 4, 2025, and the potential for a maximum sentence of up to 65 years in prison, the stakes could hardly be higher. The two pitchers, both currently on MLB’s restricted list, are accused of orchestrating a sophisticated gambling conspiracy that has reignited fierce debate about the risks of legalized sports betting and the integrity of America’s pastime.

According to a 23-page indictment filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, Clase and Ortiz allegedly conspired with a group of bookmakers to manipulate microbet and prop bet outcomes by intentionally tossing balls outside the strike zone in specific, prearranged situations. The prosecution claims this scheme netted the bettors at least $450,000 in winnings. Both players have pleaded not guilty to charges of wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery, and money laundering conspiracy. Their next court appearance is scheduled for January 15, 2026, and the trial could begin shortly after jury selection.

Clase, a three-time All-Star and two-time American League Reliever of the Year, allegedly began collaborating with bettors in May 2023. Ortiz, who joined the Guardians after a December 2024 trade from Pittsburgh, reportedly rejoined the illicit operation in June 2025. The allegations have cast a long shadow over their careers, with both facing the very real possibility of permanent ineligibility from Major League Baseball if found guilty.

These indictments come at a time when MLB faces mounting political scrutiny over its gambling safeguards. In a letter dated November 14, 2025, Senators Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell, chairs of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, demanded greater transparency from the league regarding its integrity monitoring capabilities. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has pledged to respond "fully and cooperatively" to the committee’s requests, emphasizing the league’s commitment to reducing corruption risks, especially those tied to fast-moving bet types like microbets.

The league’s internal investigation into the Guardians case is ongoing. In the immediate aftermath of the indictments, MLB took swift action, instructing licensed sportsbooks to cap pitch-level bets at $200 and to remove microbetting options from parlays. "These restrictions are necessary to reduce incentives for manipulation," Manfred explained. While he declined to comment on whether MLB would support regulated prediction markets, he noted that it was "too early" to determine a formal stance on the matter.

The implications of the Clase and Ortiz case have reverberated far beyond baseball. The scandal has reignited concerns about prop bets—wagers on specific individual performances or occurrences within a game, rather than the final score—and their even faster subset, microbets. Professor Matt Mitten, executive director of the National Sports Law Institute at Marquette University Law School, called the developments "very troubling." Reflecting on the words of former MLB Commissioner Bud Selig, Mitten remarked, "If there’s a scintilla of doubt about the integrity of the game, you don’t have a sport." He added, "It’s not a bad idea to ban these prop bets," labeling them a "major issue."

Legal experts and gambling counselors have echoed these concerns. Eric Webber, a certified gambling treatment counselor, observed, "We’ve opened up a Pandora’s box that’s not easily closed." Brooklyn Law School sports law professor Jodi Balsam pointed out that while the 2018 Supreme Court decision in Murphy v. NCAA did not cause these problems, it "normalized" sports gambling by legalizing it in 41 jurisdictions, including 39 states. "Legalization didn’t cause the problem, but it has normalized it," Balsam said. She emphasized the need for more proactive measures to anticipate and prevent incidents like the one involving Clase and Ortiz.

The risks are not confined to baseball. In recent months, the Justice Department filed criminal charges against several NBA players, including Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, for similar betting-related offenses. Rozier allegedly helped gamblers win over $200,000 by tipping off a friend about his early exit from a 2023 game due to a purported injury, allowing bets on his "under" statistics to pay off. Former NBA player and coach Damon Jones and current Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups have also been indicted for allegedly selling insider injury information and rigging poker games, further highlighting the pervasive threat of gambling-related corruption across professional sports.

James Nussbaum, a partner at Church Church Hittle & Antrim and former in-house counsel at Indiana University, warned that the problem could be even more widespread among college athletes, who may be more susceptible to the temptations of quick money. "It’s really easy to manipulate these microbets," Nussbaum explained. "When you take it down to student athletes, and it’s their one chance to capitalize on their ability, it’s even more tempting to get involved." The National Collegiate Athletic Association recently declared six athletes from three universities permanently ineligible for their involvement in betting-related game manipulation and providing information to known bettors.

MLB’s authority to regulate or ban prop bets is limited to its contractual relationships with official sportsbook partners like FanDuel and DraftKings. As Balsam noted, "The leagues have no authority to ban prop bets other than that conferred through a contractual relationship with a sportsbook." Even if official sponsors comply, other legal sportsbooks may continue to offer such bets, leaving state gaming commissions and legislatures as the primary line of defense. The NFL, for instance, has always banned prop bets that can be affected by a single player, such as the outcome of a quarterback’s first pass, but allows bets on cumulative statistics for a game.

Despite these challenges, MLB has taken steps to support players who report harassment or intimidation linked to betting outcomes, an issue that has grown since the Supreme Court’s 2018 decision. The league maintains open channels with law enforcement to assist players facing threats, and both Ortiz and Clase were placed on paid administrative leave in July 2025, with neither due to resume salary accrual until the 2025 MLB season begins in March. Commissioner Manfred has stated that the offseason provides the necessary time for "the most thorough and complete investigation possible."

As the sports world awaits the outcome of the Clase and Ortiz trial, the debate over the future of prop bets and the integrity of professional sports shows no signs of abating. Experts agree that, if the allegations are proven true, both pitchers could face lifetime bans—a fate reminiscent of the infamous Black Sox scandal of 1919. "That’s about as cardinal a sin as you can have," Nussbaum concluded. The coming months will test not only the resolve of Major League Baseball, but also the effectiveness of the broader sports world’s efforts to protect its most fundamental value: fair play.