Posted on 11/09/2025 11:44:53 AM PST by Oldeconomybuyer
NEW YORK (AP) — Two Major League Baseball pitchers were indicted Sunday on charges they took bribes to give sports bettors advance notice of the types of pitches they’d throw and intentionally tossed balls instead of strikes to ensure successful bets.
Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, both of whom pitched for the Cleveland Guardians, have been on non-disciplinary paid leave since July while Major League Baseball investigated unusually high in-game betting activity when they pitched.
Clase, 27, and Ortiz, 26, were both charged with wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery and money laundering conspiracy. The top charges carry a potential punishment of up to 20 years in prison in the event of a conviction.
Ortiz was arrested by the FBI on Sunday morning at Boston Logan International Airport. He is expected to appear in federal court in Boston on Monday.
Major League Baseball said it contacted federal law enforcement when it began investigating the unusual betting activity and “has fully cooperated” with authorities. “We are aware of the indictment and today’s arrest, and our investigation is ongoing,” its statement said.
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...
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“Say it ain’t so, Joe.”
The tip of the iceberg.
The Golden Goose is getting ill.
The only good Indian is an arrested Guardian.
Relief pitchers often enter games in critical times (like the sixth or seventh inning) since starters are not normally pitching late into games these days.
A couple of quick walks to start an inning could make a big difference.
That would be a weak link for professional (mob) gamblers.
Sports betting has ruined sports
Push sport betting as much as possible and this is what you get. All sports at all levels probably have people fixing games/results.
Incredible that players making more money than most can imagine would do this.
I’m a Cleveland Indians fan and I say ban them for life. Pete Rose did less and got banned for life.
Cleveland had a terrible start this season (April,May,June)—maybe this is part of why?
It wasn't just the Chicago Black Socks.
The recent trend of athletes getting arrested for gambling is not related to directly fixing the outcome, it’s fixing prop bets on individual statistics.
In the NBA you can bet on the over/under on things like a single player’s points, rebounds, assists, etc.
In baseball some sportsbooks will take action on whether a pitcher throws a ball or strike on his first pitch. A pitcher can fix that; it would be very difficult to know if the pitch was intentionally thrown a certain way.
They should be banned for life.
If they’re just the tip of the iceberg, investigate the hell out of the rest involved and ban them all, no matter how many.
We all know why Michael Jordan “retired” the first time.
“some sportsbooks will take action on whether a pitcher throws a ball or strike on his first pitch. A pitcher can fix that”
That is the kind of betting that should be banned outright—nothing but trouble.
Clase, baseball’s dominant closer from 2022 through 2024, is making a base salary of $4.5 million this year. While Ortiz is on a one-year deal, Clase is signed through 2026 with $10 million club options for 2027 and 2028. Ortiz earned $782,600 in salary last season.
Lifestyles more expensive than their earnings and looking for some easy way to pay for it. Man approaches and says “hey, you wanna make a deal”.
Video of them pitching - not very obvious or anything
Two Cleveland Guardians pitchers, Luis Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase, were indicted for allegedly conspiring with bettors to rig MLB games
https://rumble.com/v71gt2o-two-cleveland-guardians-pitchers-indicted-for-allegedly-conspiring-with-bet.html
The two pitchers are underpaid compared to similar performers, strange as that seems. Jealousy, ego, resentment for being ‘dissed’, maybe just petty greed or helping out some bros. Umps would seem to have similar temptations.
Not only corrupt and criminal but stupid. Clase got a few thousand dollars and threw away a multimillion dollar contract.
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