Federal Prosecutors Allege Emmanuel Clase Rigged 18 Pitches in Gambling Case
Court documents detail specific instances prosecutors say the Guardians closer provided advance information on pitches to bettors.
Federal prosecutors have detailed 18 specific pitches thrown by Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase that they allege were rigged as part of a gambling scheme. The filings, submitted Friday by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, outline instances between 2023 and 2025 involving the three-time All-Star.
Clase, along with Cleveland teammate Luis Ortiz and two others, was charged in November with wire fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy. Prosecutors allege the group shared advance information about pitch location and velocity with bettors. All defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Jury selection for the trial is scheduled to begin in November. Both Clase and Ortiz have been on leave from the team since June 2025.
The prosecution’s list includes a pitch thrown against Starling Marte of the Mets in May 2023 and another during the 2024 American League playoffs against Matt Vierling of the Detroit Tigers. Prosecutors stated their intent to prove that for one or more of approximately 18 of Clase’s pitches, and two of Ortiz’s pitches, the defendants provided advance insider information to individuals who then bet on these pitches.
While the filing did not specify the pitches allegedly manipulated by Ortiz, two of his appearances last year were flagged by sportsbooks due to irregular betting activity on particular pitches.