Emmanuel Clase, Luis Ortiz Facing Prison After Pitch-Fixing Scandal

Cleveland Guardians All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase and back-end starter Luis Ortiz were indicted on gambling charges stemming from purposefully throwing balls on specific pitches during outings this past season. Ortiz is currently in custody, while Clase is believed to be outside the United States.

It’s now been confirmed that both pitchers were receiving bribes ranging from $5,000 to $12,000 for intentionally manipulating pitches. Clase reportedly facilitated the gambling activity, arranging payments for having Ortiz spike first pitches. Even more shocking, this manipulation of pitches dates back to 2023, at least for Clase.

Both players could face up to 65 years in prison and will be permanently banned from Major League Baseball.

Once the videos surfaced of the alleged betting on pitches, the outcome felt inevitable. Still, that doesn’t make the situation any less disappointing. It’s not frustrating because they’re being held accountable — that’s justice. It’s frustrating because two electric arms, once among the most exciting to watch in baseball, have thrown away their careers.

Beyond the moral failure, the numbers make it even more baffling. To purposefully throw pitches for a few thousand dollars while risking a $100 million career might be one of the dumbest business moves in MLB history.

It’s not just a personal downfall, either. Their actions impact teammates and an entire organization. Jose Ramirez, one of the most respected leaders in the game, has spent his career working toward a championship. To have teammates betray the integrity of that pursuit is a complete disgrace to players like him.

And for the Cleveland organization, this will leave a lasting black mark. No one else in the franchise has been implicated, but Cleveland will inevitably be seen as the team that allowed this situation to persist. Hopefully, it pushes the league and its teams to adopt better prevention and monitoring methods going forward.

Lastly, it’s hard to ignore how long it took for MLB to reach this resolution. Clase and Ortiz should have been banned months ago, and forcing the Guardians to operate under uncertainty all season was unacceptable.