In late July 2025, Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz were placed on non-disciplinary paid leave through August 31 after it was revealed they were part of a sports-betting scandal.
They were later indicted on charges related to a sports betting and money laundering conspiracy, according to an official document from the United States Attorney’s Office in November. Per the document, pitchers “allegedly rigged pitches with corrupt sports bettors, who placed fraudulent wagers worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.”
Basically, they allegedly agreed to intentionally throw pitches with specifics outcomes (balls) with the intention of meeting specific betting criteria.
Up until this point, they were receiving their salaries because they were placed in non-disciplinary paid leave, and even though it was initially until August 31, that decision had been extended indefinitely.
Well, according to MLB insider Jeff Passan, they won’t be collecting any more checks from the Guardians. The reporter said that after an agreement between the league and the Players’ Association, they have been shifted to unpaid non-disciplinary leave.
“Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz will shift to unpaid non-disciplinary leave, per an agreement between MLB and the MLBPA. They were previously being paid as they await trial for a pitch-rigging scheme,” he posted on X.
Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz will shift to unpaid non-disciplinary leave, per an agreement between MLB and the MLBPA. They were previously being paid as they await trial for a pitch-rigging scheme.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 20, 2026
According to a report from ESPN’s David Purdum last month, Clase is accused of “throwing suspicious pitches to benefit bettors in at least 48 games over two years, significantly more than was initially revealed by federal prosecutors.”
The trial for both players is expected to occur in November. The scandal has even created legal friction between the two alleged criminals: as Zack Meisel reported in February, Ortiz’s legal team wanted a separate trial because it could help prove his innocence.
Luis Ortiz’s counsel wants a separate trial from Emmanuel Clase. Why? Because to prove Ortiz’s innocence, they argue, they have to assert Clase’s guilt.
This could be shaping up to be an old-fashioned cage match.https://t.co/3kORjRMuwr
— Zack Meisel (@ZackMeisel) February 11, 2026
Clase’s involvement is particularly painful for the Guardians fan base because he is the franchise leader in saves and was one of the most dominant closers in the league.
The news of his suspension infamously came right before last year’s trade deadline, as Cleveland was prepared to deal him for a huge haul of prospects and other assets.
The baseball universe as a whole is waiting for prosecutors to get to the bottom of the case.
People just can’t get over the fact that Clase and Ortiz did that to their teammates, if proven guilty.
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