Cleveland Guardians pitchers face a sports betting-related trial in May

Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz are scheduled to stand trial in May 2026 on federal charges that they accepted bribes to help gamblers bet on their pitches.

On Tuesday, U.S. District Court Judge Kiyo Matsumoto said jury selection would tentatively begin May 4 in Brooklyn federal court, with the trial opening the following week or sooner, according to the Associated Press.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Sherman told the judge at the brief hearing that prosecutors believe the trial could last two weeks, adding that both sides have been in discussions since the pitchers were arrested last month, but have not yet discussed a possible plea agreement to avoid trial.

Initially, Matsumoto proposed a February trial, but prosecutors and defense lawyers sought a spring start.

Sherman said prosecutors began providing defense lawyers with evidence and other materials this week, including hundreds of gigabytes of files obtained from multiple electronic devices.

Federal prosecutors allege that Clase and Ortiz took bribes to rig their pitches.

“They betrayed America’s pastime,” Joseph Nocella Jr., the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District, said in a release last month. “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 also damages the public trust in an institution that is vital and dear to all of us.”

In a statement, Ortiz’s attorney, Chris Georgalis, said that his client “has never, and would never, improperly influence a game — not for anyone and not for anything,” ESPN, PBS and other outlets reported. A lawyer for Clase, Michael J. Ferrara, also claimed that his client is innocent, adding that Clase “looks forward to clearing his name in court.”

“The indictment completely lacks any alleged evidence connecting Luis to these alleged bettors or demonstrating any purposeful involvement in a scheme,” he said.

The Guardians placed Clase and Ortiz on non-disciplinary paid leave in July, when MLB began investigating an unusually high in-game betting activity during their pitching appearances. The team stated that it will continue to cooperate with law enforcement and MLB.

“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,” the league said.

Ortiz pleaded not guilty to charges that he and Clase were rigging games.

Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine previously said he regrets his decision to legalize sports betting in the state, adding that he would now prefer to repeal it. DeWine changed his mind after it was revealed that two Cleveland Guardians pitchers, Luis Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase, were involved in a sports betting scheme by rigging their pitches.

DeWine had suggested that microprop sports bets should be restricted, praising Major League Baseball for doing so and urged the National Football League and other leagues to do the same.