NEW YORK — Two Major League Baseball pitchers, Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, have been indicted on serious charges related to a betting scandal. The pair allegedly accepted bribes to give sports bettors advance notice of pitch types and intentionally threw balls instead of strikes to ensure winnings for those betting on games.
Both pitchers, aged 27 and 26 respectively, currently play for the Cleveland Guardians and have been placed on non-disciplinary paid leave since July amid an ongoing investigation into unusually high in-game betting activity that coincided with their pitching appearances.
Facing charges that include wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, bribery conspiracy, and money laundering conspiracy, the pitchers could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted. Ortiz was arrested by the FBI at Boston Logan International Airport on Sunday morning and is set to appear in federal court.
In response to the indictment, Major League Baseball stated that it commenced a thorough investigation upon noticing unusual betting patterns. The league has cooperated fully with federal authorities and continues its own investigation into the matter. We are aware of the indictment and today’s arrest, and our investigation is ongoing, they stated.
The Cleveland Guardians acknowledged the developments, saying they were aware of law enforcement actions and commit to fully cooperating with the investigations.
While a lawyer for Ortiz refused to comment on the situation, Clase's legal representation did not respond to inquiries seeking a statement.
