Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase, Luis Ortiz indicted in gambling-scheme bombshell

Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz have been indicted in relation to a scheme to rig bets on pitches thrown during games.

Ortiz was arrested Sunday in Boston, while Clase has not yet been arrested.

The indictment says the pitchers “agreed in advance with their co-conspirators on specific pitches that they would throw in MLB games,” and the co-conspirators “then used that information to place hundreds of fraudulent bets on those pitches.”

Clase, the Guardians’ All-Star closer, agreed to begin rigging prop bets around May 2023, and “at times received bribes and kickbacks.”

Ortiz joined the scheme in June of this year, per the indictment.

They are facing charges of wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery and money laundering conspiracy.

The pitchers were placed on leave by MLB in July as the league conducted a gambling investigation.

The indictment comes on the heels of the betting scandal that rocked the NBA and saw Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups and Heat guard Terry Rozier arrested for alleged gambling schemes.