Cleveland Guardians pitchers Clase and Ortiz indicted on federal bribery charges for allegedly manipulating pitches to benefit bettors.

Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz have been indicted on federal charges for allegedly conspiring to take bribes from sports bettors to manipulate pitches, including throwing balls instead of strikes to help gamblers win prop bets. The scheme, which reportedly generated at least $460,000 in winnings, involved Clase sharing pitch information starting in 2023 and demanding payments in 2025, while Ortiz joined in June 2024. The investigation was triggered by unusual betting patterns during their starts in April, May, and June, prompting MLB to alert federal authorities. Ortiz was arrested at Boston Logan Airport and is set to appear in court; Clase remains at large. Both face multiple charges, including wire fraud and conspiracy to influence sporting contests, each carrying up to 20 years in prison. MLB and the Guardians say they are cooperating with the ongoing probe.