Cleveland Guardians Pitcher Out On $500K Bail Following Arrest In MLB Gambling Scandal

Luis Ortiz, a pitcher for the Cleveland Guardians who was arrested and charged with a number of serious crimes in relation to an alleged MLB gambling scheme, has been released from custody on $500,000 bond. Ortiz was arrested and slapped with several horrifying accusations in an unsealed indictment, claiming the athlete worked with corrupt gamblers to defraud sports betting companies and influence the outcome of certain plays during MLB games. In accordance with his release, Ortiz must follow several rules set by the court, including limitations on his travel and communication with certain people.

Chief Magistrate Judge Donald L. Cabell read the charges, including wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery, and money laundering conspiracy, aloud in court, according to a report from The Athletic.

Ortiz, who prosecutors are claiming represents a "serious flight risk," was later released on $500,000 bond—$50,000 of which must be secured by Ortiz in three weeks. He must also surrender his passport, avoid all direct and indirect contact with anyone who could be viewed as a victim, witness, or co-defendant in the case, and limit his travel to court appearances in New York and meetings with his legal representative in Cleveland.

In a statement, Ortiz's lawyer, Chris Georgalis, clapped back at the charges against him and fiercely defended him against the accusations.

"He has never and would never improperly influence a game — not for anyone and not for anything," the statement said. "Luis is and always has been a fierce competitor. He has always given his best effort in every inning of every game. Those who have played with him know this. And the government's investigation, including discussions with Luis' teammates, supports this as well."

According to a previous report from The Blast, Ortiz, along with Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase, allegedly worked with "co-conspirators" during MLB games to throw predetermined pitches that corrupt gamblers would place "hundreds of fraudulent bets on."

The reported gambling scheme began in May 2023, when Clase, "agreed with corrupt sports bettors to rig prop bets on particular pitches he threw," specifically on the speed and type of pitches. "The bettors used the advanced, inside information that Clase provided about his future pitches to wager thousands of dollars at online sportsbooks," the indictment read.

The indictment also revealed that Ortiz allegedly joined the scheme sometime around June 2025 and agreed in advance to rig pitches for bribes and kickbacks. Across two games, Ortiz reportedly threw specific pitches in exchange for $5,000 and $7,000, respectively. Clase reportedly earned the same amounts for arranging the rigged pitches.

The allegations against the two Cleveland Guardians pitchers could land them more than 60 years behind bars if convicted—specifically 20 years' imprisonment on the wire fraud conspiracy count, 20 years on the honest services wire fraud conspiracy count, five years on the conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery count, and 20 years on the money laundering conspiracy count.

U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella shared their thoughts on the case and the allegations against the two athletes, blasting them for allegedly being dishonest.

"They defrauded the online betting platforms where the bets were placed. And they betrayed America’s pastime. Integrity, honesty and fair play are part of the DNA of professional sports. When corruption infiltrates the sport, it brings disgrace not only to the participants but damages the public trust in an institution that is vital and dear to all of us. Today’s charges make clear that our Office will continue to vigorously prosecute those who corrupt sports through illegal means," Nocella said.

Following the indictment of two of the league's biggest names, the Guardians issued a statement addressing the news and revealing that its organization would "continue to fully cooperate with both law enforcement and Major League Baseball as their investigations continue."

MLB, on the other hand, released a statement of its own, saying, "MLB contacted federal law enforcement at the outset of its investigation and has fully cooperated throughout the process. We are aware of the indictment and today's arrest, and our investigation is ongoing."