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Federal prosecutors intensified their case in New York as Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase stood before a Brooklyn judge and entered a not guilty plea to a series of gambling-related accusations. The hearing followed a similar plea from teammate Luis Ortiz just one day earlier, bringing even more attention to a scandal that has unsettled Major League Baseball.
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Emmanuel Clase walked into the courtroom under heavy scrutiny from prosecutors who allege he played a central role in a pitch-manipulation scheme tied to two bettors in the Dominican Republic. According to filings, the closer allegedly passed along advance details about his opening pitch during games in 2023, helping bettors collect hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Attorney Michael Ferrara pushed back at the hearing, saying: “His actions speak louder than words. He poses no risk of flight. He intends to stay through this.” Clase remained mostly silent, responding with brief answers in Spanish through an interpreter and walking out without addressing reporters.
Under the terms of his release, Clase must remain between Ohio and New York, stay away from all gambling activity, and wear a GPS monitor. He secured release on a six hundred thousand dollar bond. Ortiz, arrested Sunday, received a five hundred thousand dollar bond and similar limits.
Investigators say the operation expanded once Clase allegedly brought Ortiz into the fold. Prosecutors claim both pitchers accepted payments, offered funds to the bettors for wagering, and even communicated before game appearances. One cited example involved an eleven thousand dollar win on a bet that Clase would open with a pitch under 97.5 mph.
The allegations date back to 2023, but federal documents say the bribe requests from Clase increased this year. Ferrara released a separate statement on Wednesday saying: “Emmanuel Clase has devoted his life to baseball and doing everything in his power to help his team win.”
MLB reacted earlier in the week by confirming that its sportsbook partners, including DraftKings and FanDuel, honored the leagues request to remove pitch-level markets altogether after suspicious activity triggered internal alerts. Both Clase and Ortiz remain on nondisciplinary leave from the league.
Federal officials scheduled the next hearing for December 2, when both pitchers are expected to return to court.
Federal prosecutors accuse both pitchers of participating in a gambling scheme involving advance knowledge of pitch information.
MLB placed both players on nondisciplinary leave in July after unusual betting patterns surfaced.
MLB asked partners to remove those markets after integrity monitors flagged suspicious activity tied to Cleveland games.
Prosecutors cite approximately four hundred sixty thousand dollars in winnings tied to information from the two pitchers.