Prosecutor Labels Guardians Pitchers 'Cheaters' in Fraud Trial

A federal prosecutor accused two Cleveland Guardians pitchers of stealing from the public on Wednesday. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Urquiola told a jury in Brooklyn that Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz acted as 'cheaters' who sold their pitches to sports gamblers.

The trial marks the first major criminal case against MLB pitchers for sharing pitch data with bettors. Urquiola said Clase befriended a gambler in the Dominican Republic in early 2023. The pair bonded over dominoes and cockfighting, a legal pastime in Clase's home country. The gambler eventually persuaded Clase to reveal which pitches he would throw in specific games.

Urquiola stated that this information allowed bettors to win at least $460,000 on platforms that offer wagers on individual pitches. She claimed Clase later asked for kickbacks because he felt he deserved more than just helping friends make money. Prosecutors allege Ortiz joined the scheme in 2025 after Clase recruited him.

Both pitchers have pleaded not guilty to conspiracy charges. They are on non-disciplinary leave from the Guardians without pay. Clase, 28, was a three-time All-Star and two-time American League Reliever of the Year. He had completed the fourth season of a five-year contract worth $20 million when charges became public in November 2025. Ortiz, 27, earned $782,600 as a starter during the 2025 season. Both men were arrested in November 2025 and are currently free on bail.

Defense attorneys argued that the pitchers were innocent victims of a gambler named Enoc Pena. Michael Bronson, representing Clase, said Pena was 41 years old when he met the 25-year-old pitcher in the spring of 2023. Bronson described Pena as a man who made over 7,000 bets between 2023 and 2025 and had a history of lying. 'Pena didn't see a peer, a friend. He saw a mark,' Bronson told the jury. He argued Pena guessed which pitches Clase would throw and managed to lose over 200 bets with fellow gamblers.

Bronson said Pena sold lies to other bettors while claiming to have inside information. He urged jurors to consider whether Clase would risk a fortune and his lifelong dream over a few thousand dollars. Attorney Samuel Landes, representing Ortiz, said the starter had no direct contact with gamblers. He noted that only two of Ortiz's pitches, both balls, are at stake in the trial. 'That's not a conspiracy. That's just baseball,' Landes said. He added that Ortiz had received $1.7 million in advance for future contracts and stood to make millions more. Landes asked why Ortiz would throw that away for a reported $5,000 in tips. 'He would not,' he said.

Landes pointed out that Pena struck a deal with prosecutors to avoid prison and remain in the United States. This deal came despite Pena lying to banks and on immigration forms regarding his marital status. Although Pena was listed as a possible witness, prosecutors said last week they did not intend to put him on the stand.