Former Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz went on trial Monday in Brooklyn federal court, where prosecutors allege they accepted bribes from gamblers who made hundreds of thousands of dollars betting on individual pitches. The jury trial is expected to last about a month, and the defendants' careers and freedom are at stake.

What are the allegations?

According to the indictment, the two pitchers took several thousand dollars in payoffs to help two gamblers from their native Dominican Republic win at least $460,000 on in-game prop bets tied to the speed and outcome of certain pitches. Prosecutors say Clase began passing information about his pitches to the bettors in 2023 and brought Ortiz into the arrangement in 2025.

Both men have pleaded not guilty and are on nondisciplinary leave from the club without pay while the case proceeds. Clase, 28, is a three-time All-Star and two-time American League Reliever of the Year who had finished the fourth season of a $20 million, five-year contract when the charges became public in November 2025. Ortiz, 27, earned $782,600 as a starter in 2025.

What charges do they face?

The men are accused of scheming to commit wire fraud, depriving the public of honest services through wire fraud, laundering money, and corruptly influencing the outcome of a sporting event. Defense lawyers are expected to argue that the pitchers did not collude with gamblers and were instead changing where they placed pitches to deceive batters. Ortiz's lawyers unsuccessfully sought a separate trial from Clase.

Who will testify and what happens next?

Several professional baseball players, including catchers, along with baseball executives, are expected to take the stand. Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto said at a Friday conference that she hopes jury selection moves quickly enough for short opening statements that afternoon. She also ruled that prosecutors cannot show jurors evidence that Clase owed $500,000 in U.S. taxes, because the material reached defense lawyers only days earlier.

FAQ

What is an in-game prop bet?

It is a wager on a specific event within a game, such as the speed or result of a single pitch, rather than on the final score.

Are the players still with the Guardians?

Both are on nondisciplinary leave without pay from the club while the trial determines their fate.