Two Cleveland Guardians pitchers, Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, are set to face a federal trial in May regarding charges that they accepted bribes in connection with gambling on their performances. The case has attracted significant attention within the sports community, given the serious implications of the allegations.
U.S. District Court Judge Kiyo Matsumoto announced that jury selection for the trial would tentatively begin on May 4, 2024, in Brooklyn federal court, with the trial anticipated to commence the following week. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Sherman indicated during a brief hearing that the trial could potentially extend over a two-week period.
Since the arrest of the two pitchers last month, discussions have been ongoing between both sides; however, no plea deal has yet been proposed to avoid going to trial. The defense and prosecution did advocate for a spring trial date instead of the initial February suggestion made by Judge Matsumoto, leading to the current schedule.
During the proceedings, Sherman reported that prosecutors began supplying defense attorneys with evidence and case materials, which reportedly includes hundreds of gigabytes of data from various electronic devices. The accumulation of such evidence indicates the severity and depth of the investigation surrounding the case.
Both Clase and Ortiz, along with their legal representatives, refrained from making any comments outside the courtroom. The next scheduled court date for the pitchers is January 15, 2024. Since pleading not guilty to charges including wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, and conspiracy to influence sporting contests via bribery, they have been released on bond.
According to prosecutors, Clase and Ortiz accepted payments amounting to thousands of dollars to assist two unnamed gamblers from the Dominican Republic, allowing them to profit approximately $460,000 from wagers placed on the speed and outcome of the pitchers' performances. It has been alleged that Clase, a prominent closer for the Guardians, started providing betting insights in 2023 and later involved Ortiz in the scheme.
The attorneys for both players have firmly denied all charges, asserting that payments between Ortiz and certain individuals in the Dominican Republic were for legitimate business activities, rather than any illicit arrangements. Clase, at 27 years of age, is recognized as a three-time All-Star and has received the accolade of American League Reliever of the Year twice. He is currently in the fourth year of a lucrative five-year contract valued at $20 million.
Ortiz, who is 26, made a salary of $782,600 this year as a starting pitcher. Throughout the ongoing investigation into these serious allegations, both players have been placed on nondisciplinary paid leave since July, following Major League Baseball's concerns over unusually high in-game betting activity correlated to their pitching performances.
As the upcoming spring training approaches, scheduled to commence in February, and with the team’s home opener slated for April 3, the ongoing legal battle and its potential outcome could significantly impact the players and the Cleveland Guardians organization.
