Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase accused of rigging playoff pitch
Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase is now accused of taking part in a pitch-fixing scheme that extended into the postseason, according to federal prosecutors.
A superseding indictment unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn alleges that Clase, along with fellow pitcher Luis Leandro Ortiz Ribera and Robinson Vasquez Germosen, conspired to predetermine certain pitches in Major League Baseball games and quietly tip off gamblers. Prosecutors say the operation ran from May 2023 through June 2025 and generated at least $450,000 in illicit winnings.
The new filing adds that Clase participated in the scheme during a playoff game, a detail that significantly raises the stakes of the allegations. Authorities suggest that gamblers were given advance notice about how specific pitches would be thrown, allowing them to place targeted wagers with unusually favorable odds.
What Clase and Ortiz have been accused of
Court papers describe Clase, a relief pitcher, agreeing ahead of time to throw specific pitches in key moments. Instead of attacking hitters, he would deliberately toss balls rather than strikes or opt for slower sliders instead of faster cutters. That advance knowledge was funneled to gamblers through intermediaries, including Vasquez.
With that edge, bettors targeted proposition wagers focused on details such as whether a pitch would be a ball or hit-by-pitch, or whether it would clock in below a certain speed. Prosecutors say many of those bets were bundled into higher-paying parlays.
On June 3, 2023, for example, bettors pocketed roughly $38,000 after wagering that a Clase pitch would be a ball or slower than 94.95 mph. Later that same month, a similar bet allegedly returned about $58,000. Over time, authorities say wagers tied to Clase’s pitches generated at least $400,000 in winnings.
Ortiz, a starting pitcher, is accused of joining the plan in June 2025. In a June 15, 2025 game, he allegedly agreed to open the second inning with a ball in exchange for about $5,000. Bettors put down roughly $13,000 on that outcome and collected about $26,000 when it happened. In another June 2025 appearance, Ortiz allegedly took about $7,000 to begin the third inning with a ball, triggering approximately $37,000 in payouts from $18,000 in wagers. Prosecutors say bets connected to Ortiz’s pitches brought in at least $60,000.
Investigators say the group hid their communications behind coded language, referring to fixed pitches as “rooster” or “chicken.” At times, Clase allegedly used his cellphone during games, violating MLB rules, to coordinate activity in real time. Money was often routed through third parties in the Dominican Republic, and in one exchange, Clase allegedly suggested describing a transfer as payment “for a horse” if questions arose.
The case surfaces amid a broader MLB gambling inquiry that has examined player conduct and sportsbook activity across the league. Recent reporting has detailed how betting markets increasingly offer hyper-specific pitch-by-pitch wagers, creating new integrity concerns for baseball.
Vasquez is also accused of lying to the FBI during a voluntary interview on January 9, 2026, when investigators say he downplayed the scope of Clase’s conduct.
All three men face charges that include wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery and money laundering conspiracy. Vasquez is additionally charged with making false statements. Prosecutors are seeking forfeiture of money tied to the alleged scheme.
Featured image: Erik Drost via Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic
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