Major League Baseball announced that its licensed betting partners will restrict wagers on individual pitches to a maximum of $200 US and will not allow them in combination bets, following the recent indictment of two Cleveland Guardians players for allegedly manipulating pitches for gamblers. The league stated that pitch-specific bets, such as pitch velocity and balls/strikes outcomes, pose integrity risks as they rely on isolated events influenced by individual players and might not affect the game’s overall result significantly.
By implementing these restrictions, MLB aims to reduce the likelihood of misconduct in pitch-level betting. The league emphasized that setting a strict betting limit and prohibiting the inclusion of these bets in parlays will decrease potential payouts and prevent circumvention of the new restrictions. The measures were supported by sportsbook operators representing over 98% of the U.S. betting market.
Pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz from the Cleveland Guardians were accused of accepting bribes from bettors to manipulate specific pitches. The charges include wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to influence sporting events through bribery, and money laundering conspiracy, carrying penalties of up to 20 years in prison.
Both players have denied the allegations. Ortiz’s lawyer, Chris Georgalis, affirmed his client’s innocence, stating that Ortiz has never engaged in improper game influence. Clase’s attorney, Michael J. Ferrara, defended his client’s dedication to baseball and his team’s success, asserting Clase’s innocence and readiness to clear his name in court.
The U.S. Supreme Court’s 2018 decision to declare the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act unconstitutional paved the way for states to legalize sports betting. Ortiz, arrested at Boston Logan International Airport, appeared in a federal court in Boston, facing accusations of accepting bribes to assist associates in the Dominican Republic in winning prop bets based on his pitches.
Ortiz was granted release under strict conditions, including surrendering his passport, limited travel, posting a $500,000 US bond, and refraining from contact with relevant parties in the case. Clase, on non-disciplinary paid leave since July, is reportedly outside the U.S., as confirmed by a law enforcement official.
The indictment revealed that Ortiz and Clase allegedly received payments to manipulate pitches for the benefit of gamblers in the Dominican Republic. MLB initiated an investigation into unusual betting activities during games involving the two players, leading to their placement on paid leave.
MLB collaborated with federal authorities upon detecting suspicious betting patterns and expressed its commitment to ongoing investigations. The Guardians pledged full cooperation with law enforcement and MLB throughout the probe. The charges against Clase and Ortiz are part of a broader crackdown on sports betting misconduct, following recent arrests in the NBA involving prominent figures.