Two Cleveland Guardians pitchers are in hot water.
Federal prosecutors and the FBI announced charges over an alleged sports betting and money laundering scheme.
Emmanuel Clase de la Cruz and Luis Leandro Ortiz Ribera are accused of helping co-conspirators.
They placed hundreds of thousands of dollars in illegal bets. But what exactly happened on the mound?
According to the indictment, Ortiz and Clase allegedly rigged pitches in advance.
This allowed bettors—sometimes including themselves—to cash in.
Prosecutors say Ortiz joined the scheme in June 2025, Clase in May 2023, and both received bribes for their “cooperation.”
One game on 27 June 2025 reportedly saw Ortiz pocket $7,000 for throwing a manipulated pitch, while Clase received the same sum for arranging it.
Alleged Betting Scheme
Clase allegedly also funneled $50,000 in cash to co-conspirators to place bets, netting at least $400,000 in total.
“The defendants’ alleged greed not only established an unfair advantage for select bettors.
It also sullied the reputation of America’s pastime,” said FBI Assistant Director Christopher Raia.
US Attorney Joseph Nocella added: “When corruption infiltrates the sport… it damages the public trust in an institution vital and dear to all of us.”
Ortiz was arrested in Boston, while Clase remains at large. Both had been on non-disciplinary paid leave during an MLB investigation.
Ortiz’s lawyer insists he’s innocent: “He has never, and would never, improperly influence a game—not for anyone and not for anything.”
So, is this a shocking betrayal of baseball’s integrity—or just a cautionary tale about what happens when money and sports mix?
Either way, the mound is looking a lot more complicated these days.
