Everything we know about Emmanuel Clase, Luis Ortiz indictment in MLB betting scandal

After months of silence, the future careers of Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz were put to rest.

On Sunday, Nov. 9, countless reports were released that Clase and Ortiz were indicted by prosecutors in Brooklyn on various charges related to a scheme to rig bets on pitches thrown in MLB games.

According to MLB reporter Jeff Passan, Ortiz was arrested in Boston earlier today while Clase remains out of custody.

BREAKING: Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz have been indicted by prosecutors in Brooklyn on a host of charges related to a scheme to rig bets on pitches thrown in MLB games. Ortiz was arrested in Boston earlier today. Clase is not currently in custody.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 9, 2025

The indictment against the two focuses on the aspect that the pitchers intentionally threw balls and strikes. Bettors would then be able to wager on what pitches they would be, and with the knowledge of what Ortiz and Clase were going to throw, would make money on the bet.

These actions done by Clase and Ortiz allegedly started as early as May 2023.

Between the two, gamblers allegedly won at least $450,000 wagering on the pitches being thrown. Clase and Ortiz were given kickbacks for their participation.

This investigation initially began back in the middle of the 2025 campaign, with Ortiz and Clase being suspended towards the tail end of July. They were put under investigation amid an MLB gambling investigation.

Many, at the time, assumed that the situation would be wrapped up relatively fast and implications would be known, but that wasn't the case.

It took nearly four months for clarity on the situation to come to light and a decision to be made by MLB.

The 23-page indictment against Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz lays out the alleged scheme for the pitchers to intentionally throw balls so bettors could wager on pitches to be balls or strikes. It started, prosecutors say, as early as May 2023 with Clase and later included Ortiz.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 9, 2025

If convicted on all charges, the two could face up to 65 years in prison.

"The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty," reads the case documents. "If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of 20 years' imprisonment on the wire fraud conspiracy count, 20 years' imprisonment on the honest services wire fraud conspiracy count, five years' imprisonment on the conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery count, and 20 years' imprisonment on the money laundering conspiracy count."

Ortiz, who was added prior to last season, only pitched 16 games for the Guardians.

He recorded a 4.36 ERA and amassed a record of 4-9 on the season while striking out 96 batters. He was on pace to have a potential career-best in strikeouts,

However, although Ortiz was new and more than likely would have been overshadowed eventually by some of the younger prospects in the organization, Clase has been a staple for quite some time now.

He was projected to be in Cleveland for the rest of his career barring any sudden issues.

And now Cleveland's front office must look to find a future starting closer for the organization.

"We are aware of the recent law enforcement action," the Guardians said in a press release. "We will continue to fully cooperate with both law enforcement and Major League Baseball as their investigations continue."

Clase was one of the best in Cleveland's storied history, pitching across 360 innings for an incredible 1.88 ERA. He was also a three-time All-Star and a two-time Mariano Rivera American League Reliever of the Year.

His story, which has this life-altering chapter closing, will go down as one of the biggest "what ifs" in MLB history.

This situation is a sad reminder that all it takes is one bad decision to ruin a lifelong grind of making it to MLB.