Federal prosecutors are narrowing in on 18 pitches they say Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase intentionally manipulated for bettors in a gambling scheme that has rocked Major League Baseball.
That list, disclosed in a new filing, was released after defense attorneys pressed for it ahead of Clase’s planned Nov. 2 trial in federal court in Brooklyn, New York. Prosecutors had previously sent defense lawyers a much larger list of 48 pitches under scrutiny.
Clase and former teammate Luis Ortiz are charged with wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery and money laundering. Prosecutors say bettors came away with more than $460,000 from the scheme, while the bettors paid Clase and Ortiz thousands in bribes and kickbacks.
According to the indictment, prosecutors say they coordinated with bettors ahead of time, tipping them off when they would throw a pitch outside the strike zone at a specific moment - often the first batter in an inning - or when they would throw a pitch slower than usual.
The government says Clase ran the scheme by himself beginning in 2023 and later brought Ortiz in during 2025. Ortiz is accused of tossing two rigged pitches that year, which triggered sportsbook concerns and ultimately helped spark the FBI investigation.
Both pitchers have pleaded not guilty.
Clase has pushed back in court filings, arguing investigators misunderstood texts about cockfighting in the Dominican Republic, where it is legal, and mistook them for coded talk about pitch rigging.
His defense team has also asked the judge to let them present evidence of Clase’s pitching ability and to bring in an expert witness who would tell jurors the pitches at issue were legitimate strategy, not betting plays.
The 18 pitches prosecutors now say they will focus on include one already known pitch from Game 1 of the 2024 American League Division Series against the Detroit Tigers.
Of the full group, nine came in May and June of the 2023 season, two were thrown in 2024, and seven came in April and May 2025, just before MLB suspended Ortiz and Clase.
Both players remain suspended. Clase is playing out the final season of his five-year, $20 million contract, which includes team options for 2027 and 2028. Ortiz’s contract expired after the 2025 season.
Clase, a three-time All-Star, remains the Guardians’ franchise leader with 181 saves. Cade Smith, the team’s current closer, is second in MLB with 39 saves this season.
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