The legal and ethical storm surrounding Major League Baseball’s ongoing sports betting investigation just intensified - and it now includes serious allegations against some notable names.
Former Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase and fellow reliever Luis Ortiz are both on paid, non-disciplinary leave as the league continues its probe into alleged betting-related misconduct. But what began as a relatively contained situation has escalated dramatically.
According to newly filed court documents, Clase is now accused of manipulating his performance in at least 48 games over a two-year span - a far cry from the initial nine-game scope reported when the investigation first surfaced. The allegations suggest that Clase may have deliberately thrown "suspect pitches" to benefit certain bettors, raising serious concerns about the integrity of those contests.
This latest development comes after Ortiz's legal team submitted new information that appears to significantly expand the scope of the case. Both pitchers are facing conspiracy charges, accused of providing inside information and altering their in-game performance to influence outcomes. Federal authorities arrested and arraigned Clase and Ortiz back in November, and both have pleaded not guilty.
The pair cleared out their lockers in the Guardians’ clubhouse on August 1, 2025 - a move that, in hindsight, now seems like the prelude to something much bigger. While MLB has yet to hand down any formal suspensions or penalties, the gravity of the allegations is impossible to ignore. If proven true, this could mark one of the most serious integrity breaches in modern baseball history.
Meanwhile, in a separate but equally serious case, former MLB All-Star Yasiel Puig has been found guilty of obstruction of justice and making false statements to federal investigators in connection with an illegal sports betting ring. The charges stem from a January 2022 interview during which Puig lied to authorities probing the operation.
The verdict came down after a 12-day trial in the Central District of California, with jurors reaching a unanimous decision after two days of deliberation. While prosecutors pushed to have Puig taken into custody immediately, Judge Dolly M.
Gee allowed the 35-year-old to remain free on bond - but with a strict travel restriction. Sentencing is scheduled for May 26, 2026, and Puig could face up to 15 years in prison.
Puig, who burst onto the scene with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2013 after signing a $42 million deal following his defection from Cuba, quickly became one of the league’s most electric - and polarizing - figures. He was the runner-up for Rookie of the Year and an All-Star in just his second season.
After stints with the Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Indians, Puig has not played in MLB for over five years. His post-MLB career has also been clouded by multiple sexual assault allegations in 2021.
Now, with both Puig’s legal fate and the Clase-Ortiz investigation looming large, MLB finds itself at a crossroads. These cases don’t just involve off-field misconduct - they strike at the very heart of competitive integrity. The league has weathered scandals before, but the notion of players potentially fixing outcomes or providing inside intel for gambling purposes is a different kind of threat - one that could shake fan trust and reshape how MLB handles player conduct in the gambling era.
As more information emerges and the legal process unfolds, all eyes will be on the courts - and on the league offices in New York - to see how baseball responds to what may be its most serious integrity crisis in decades.