Former MLB pitcher Emmanuel Clase charged with fixing at least 15 pitches, including in a 2024 playoff game, to profit from prop bets.

Federal prosecutors in New York have charged former Cleveland Guardians pitcher Emmanuel Clase with rigging at least 15 pitches between 2023 and 2025, including in a 2024 playoff game against the Detroit Tigers, as part of a scheme to help gamblers win prop bets. The indictment alleges Clase used coded messages like “chicken” and “rooster” to signal intentional pitches for balls, generating at least $450,000 in illicit profits, with some shared with teammate Luis Ortiz. Both players, placed on restricted list in July 2025 and arrested in November, face multiple conspiracy and fraud charges and have pleaded not guilty. Their joint trial is set for May 4, 2026, though Ortiz’s legal team has requested a separate trial.