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Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz will go on unpaid leave as they await trial for allegedly rigging pitches, Major League Baseball announced Friday.
The replacements were initially placed on paid non-disciplinary leave when they were first investigated over the summer.
“This agreement is not an admission of any wrongdoing by Clase or Ortiz. MLB has been closely monitoring the matter since it alerted federal law enforcement at the beginning of its investigation and will have no further comment until its investigation is complete,” MLB said, adding that the move came through an agreement between the league and the players’ union.
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Emmanuel Clase, left, and Luis Ortiz, were indicted in a federal gambling investigation on Nov. 9, 2025. (Imagn)
Clase is accused of throwing questionable pitches to benefit those who bet on him in at least 48 games, according to to ESPN. The first indictment, filed in November, accused Clase of rigging courses in specific games between May 2023 and June 2025.
In one instance, the indictment alleges, Clase used his phone in the middle of a game to coordinate with a player on a pitch he wanted to throw.
Class pleaded not guilty to charges he accepted bribes to help players win bets on his slots. He was released on $600,000 bail, surrendered his passport and was ordered to limit his travel to New York and Ohio, abstain from gambling and submit to GPS monitoring.
Bettors allegedly won $400,000 from betting platforms on pitches thrown by Clase between 2023 and 2025. Ortiz reportedly joined the scheme in June 2025.
MLB player Emmanuel Clase in federal court in Brooklyn, NY, November 13, 2025. Clase is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit honest services, conspiracy to influence sports competition by bribery and conspiracy to commit money laundering. (Christine Cornell)
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The indictment came weeks after three NBA figures were swept up in an FBI operation involving alleged foul play. Chauncey Billups, Terry Rozier and Damon Jones were among more than two dozen arrested in the scheme.
Clase transformed himself into arguably the game’s best closer, pitching to a 1.21 ERA in his final full season in 2024, good for third in American League Cy Young Award voting. His ERA in 2025 was 3.80 when he was scouted. Ortiz boasts a lifetime 4.36 ERA, with his best season also coming in 2024 with a 3.32 ERA.
Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz remain on leave pending a gambling investigation. (David Dermer and Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn)
Clase inked a five-year, $20 million deal just before Opening Day in 2022, a few months after finishing fifth in AL Rookie of the Year voting. Ortiz earned the veteran minimum of $782,600 last season because he was not yet arbitration eligible.
