NEW YORK (AP) - Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz went on trial Monday for charges related to bribery and collusion with gamblers. This trial, taking place in Brooklyn federal court, is set against the backdrop of allegations that the players accepted payoffs to assist gamblers in making substantial profits through betting on individual pitches.
The implications of this trial extend beyond the pitcher's baseball careers; they are also facing the possibility of incarceration. Jury selection proceeded in the morning, with several professional baseball players, including catchers and executives, anticipated to testify over the course of this monthlong trial.
Emmanuel Clase, a 28-year-old former closer for the Guardians, and Luis Ortiz, a 27-year-old starter, have both pleaded not guilty to conspiracy charges and are currently on non-disciplinary leave without pay from the team as the trial unfolds. The indictment alleges that these pitchers accepted thousands of dollars in bribes from two gamblers hailing from their home country of the Dominican Republic, enabling them to win at least $460,000 through in-game prop bets focusing on the speed and outcomes of specific pitches.
Prosecutors allege that Clase first provided insider information about his pitches to the bettors in 2023, subsequently recruiting Ortiz into this scheme in 2025. Efforts by Ortiz's lawyers to separate his trial from Clase’s were dismissed by the court.
Clase, a three-time All-Star and two-time American League Reliever of the Year, had just completed his fourth season of a $20 million, five-year contract when the bribery charges became public in November 2025. Ortiz, serving as a starting pitcher for the Guardians, earned $782,600 during the 2025 season.
Both pitchers are facing serious charges, including wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, and conspiracy to influence sporting contests through bribery. The defense is expected to argue that their actions do not constitute collusion with gamblers, positing instead that they were merely varying their pitch placements strategically to deceive hitters.
During the trial, Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto, who is presiding over the case, ruled on Friday that prosecutors cannot present evidence indicating that Clase owed $500,000 in U.S. taxes. This decision was based on the fact that such evidence was disclosed to defense attorneys just days before and past the deadline for sharing evidence with opposing counsel.
Prosecutors suggested that the evidence concerning Clase's tax debt could counter any claims by his defense team regarding his financial incentives to collaborate with gamblers, as he reportedly had several million dollars in financial accounts located within the Dominican Republic.
Both Major League Baseball and the Cleveland Guardians have expressed their full cooperation with authorities throughout this investigation. MLB has stated that it promptly contacted federal law enforcement upon noticing unusual betting activity linked to these pitchers.
