Sports Betting Arrests Baseball

The trial of Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz is underway in New York on charges that they colluded with gamblers who made hundreds of thousands of dollars betting on individual pitches. Their careers and possibly their freedom are at stake in the jury trial that began Monday with jury selection in in Brooklyn federal court. Several professional baseball players, including catchers and baseball executives, are among witnesses likely to testify. Clase is the Guardians’ former closer while Ortiz was a starter when they were charged in November 2025. Both have pleaded not guilty to conspiracy charges and are on non-disciplinary leave from the club without pay.