On Nov. 9, a Brooklyn federal court publicized accusations against two MLB pitchers in the Cleveland Guardians organization. Both are accused of bet manipulations and taking bribes.
The accused, closing pitcher Emanuel Clase and starting pitcher Luis Ortiz, played important roles in the Cleveland Guardians’ past success. Clase is regarded as one of the most talented and sought-after relief pitchers in baseball, pitching to an impressive 1.84 ERA (Earned Run Average) with 184 saves over the past five seasons. Ortiz, on the other hand, has not been as successful, with a 4.36 ERA and four wins over 88.2 innings.
The accusations against the two pitchers stem from an incident in early April, when MLB flagged multiple “suspicious pitches” (pitches thrown at suspicious spots or speeds) thrown throughout the beginning of the regular season. By July, the two were placed on non-disciplinary leave as an investigation began into the two’s suspicious game activity.
“There is no credible evidence Luis knowingly did anything other than try to win games, with every pitch and in every inning,” Chris Georgalis, Ortiz’s lawyer, said in an interview with NPR. “Luis looks forward to fighting these charges in court.”
As of Nov. 13, the two were released from federal custody with their bail set to $500,000 each.
“As alleged, the defendants sold that trust to gamblers by fixing pitches. In doing so, the defendants deprived the Cleveland Guardians and Major League Baseball of their honest services. And they betrayed America’s pastime. Integrity, honesty and fair play are part of the DNA of professional sports,” said New York Attorney Joseph Nocella, Jr., in court as quoted by CBS Sports.
