The scope of federal allegations against Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase widened this week after a court filing asserted that suspicious pitches linked to betting activity occurred across at least 48 games, far beyond the nine games initially outlined by prosecutors.

The new figure emerged in a filing submitted by the attorney for Luis Ortiz, a Guardians reliever who is also charged in the case. Federal prosecutors first unsealed an indictment in November accusing Clase and Ortiz of participating in a gambling scheme involving individual pitches. According to the more recent document, the government now alleges that Clase manipulated his performance repeatedly over a span of roughly two years.

Court records detail a broader pattern

Prosecutors originally identified nine games between 2023 and 2025 in which Clase allegedly threw pitches designed to influence prop bets. Ortiz’s attorney, Christos N. Georgalis, argued in Thursday’s filing that the government’s evidence points to a much broader pattern, describing suspect activity in dozens of games.

Georgalis asked the court to separate Ortiz’s case from Clase’s, contending that the two pitchers played very different roles in the alleged scheme. In the filing, he wrote that Ortiz and Clase have “markedly different levels of culpability,” and said that a joint trial would undermine Ortiz’s chance for a fair verdict.

The document also emphasized that prosecutors have not accused Ortiz of communicating directly with bettors, a distinction his defense says separates his conduct from that attributed to Clase. Federal authorities allege Ortiz rigged pitches in two games in June 2025, while Clase is accused of coordinating with bettors from 2023 through 2025.

A separate court record shows that the judge overseeing the case pressed prosecutors to provide additional evidence to Clase’s defense team. The record states that Clase “has identified at least 250 pitches on which bets were placed, so the Court encouraged the government to disclose discovery to [Clase] as to any additional pitches that it alleges were included in the conspiracy.”

Gambling scheme allegations and player responses

According to prosecutors, Clase and Ortiz accepted thousands of dollars in bribes from two gamblers based in the Dominican Republic. The bettors allegedly earned at least $460,000 by wagering on the speed and result of specific pitches, including whether a pitch would be ruled a ball or a strike.

Both pitchers have pleaded not guilty to multiple charges, including wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, and conspiracy to influence sporting events by bribery. The most serious counts carry potential sentences of up to 20 years in prison, while another version of the indictment cites a possible maximum of 65 years if convictions are secured on all charges.

Clase appeared in 197 regular-season games from 2023 until July 2025. If the government’s claims prove accurate, the alleged manipulation would cover roughly one-quarter of his appearances during that period. Major League Baseball placed Clase on non-disciplinary leave in July after the gambling investigation became public, and he has not pitched since.

Ortiz, who joined the Guardians in 2025 after three seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates, also landed on paid non-disciplinary leave. Reports previously noted unusual betting activity tied to two of his pitches, one against the Seattle Mariners on June 15 and another against the St. Louis Cardinals on June 27. Both pitches missed the strike zone by a wide margin, and MLB later extended Ortiz’s leave through August 31.

MLB rules and the path ahead

While MLB permits players to wager on sports other than baseball, league rules strictly prohibit any action that compromises competition. Rule 21(a) states that any player or club employee who “fails to give his best efforts towards the winning of any baseball game with which he is or may be in any way concerned” faces permanent ineligibility.

Major League Baseball has said it is cooperating with federal prosecutors but has declined to comment further. ESPN reported that it contacted attorneys for both pitchers and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, which is handling the prosecution.

The trial is scheduled to begin May 4, though Ortiz’s attorney has requested additional time. As the case moves forward, the latest filings suggest that the allegations against one of baseball’s most accomplished relievers may involve a far larger body of games and pitches than first disclosed.