CLEVELAND, Feb. 5, 2026 – Cleveland Guardians pitcher Emmanuel Clase is now accused of manipulating game outcomes in a far wider scheme than initially revealed, allegedly throwing suspicious pitches in at least 48 games over two years to benefit bettors. The startling revelation came in a court filing by the attorney for teammate Luis Ortiz, who is also facing charges related to the alleged scheme.
The initial indictment, unsealed in November, listed nine games where Clase allegedly threw rigged pitches. however, a filing by Luis ortiz’s attorney, Christos N. Georgalis, asserts that prosecutors are accusing Clase of manipulating his performance in “dozens of games” spanning from 2023 to 2025. This suggests a far more extensive and deliberate effort to compromise the game than previously understood.
What are the potential penalties if these allegations are proven true? The top charges against Clase and Ortiz carry a potential punishment of up to 20 years in prison,highlighting the severity of the accusations.
Representatives for Clase and Ortiz, and also the U.S.Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, have been contacted for comment. major League Baseball released a statement confirming its continued cooperation with federal prosecutors but declined to provide further details.
Georgalis is seeking to sever his client’s case from Clase’s, arguing a significant disparity in culpability. he contends that Ortiz and Clase face “markedly different levels of culpability,” and a joint trial could unfairly prejudice Ortiz. The attorney emphasized that the indictment lacks evidence of Ortiz directly communicating with bettors.
According to the filing, a jury exposed to “26 months of alleged criminal conduct by Mr. Clase — including suspect pitches during 48 games, dozens of communications with [a bettor], cash transfers and coordination of illegal wagers” could mistakenly find Ortiz guilty by association. Federal prosecutors accused Ortiz of rigging pitches in just two games in June 2025.
Clase appeared in 197 regular-season games between 2023 and july 2025, when he was placed on non-disciplinary leave by MLB amid the gambling inquiry. If the allegations hold true, Clase woudl have allegedly manipulated his performance in approximately a quarter of those games.
A court record reveals that a judge requested the government provide Clase’s legal team with evidence regarding the suspicious pitches to facilitate trial preparation. The court encouraged the government to disclose all relevant details, noting that clase “has identified at least 250 pitches on which bets were placed.”
Both Clase and Ortiz pleaded not guilty to charges of wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, and conspiracy to influence sporting events by bribery.Prosecutors allege the pair accepted thousands of dollars in bribes from two unnamed gamblers in their native Dominican Republic, resulting in at least $460,000 in winnings for the bettors.
Clase, a three-time All-Star and two-time American League Reliever of the year, was in the fourth year of a five-year, $20 million contract. Ortiz played three seasons for the Pittsburgh Pirates before joining the Guardians in 2025,appearing in 16 games. He was also placed on non-disciplinary leave by MLB in July.
The trial is currently scheduled for May 4, though Ortiz’s attorney has requested additional time to prepare his defense.
