Guardians Pitcher Luis Ortiz Pleads Not Guilty in Federal Pitch-Rigging Case
Cleveland Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz entered a plea of not guilty in federal court on November 12, facing charges related to a vast sports betting and pitch-fixing conspiracy. The plea was submitted in federal court in Brooklyn. Ortiz faces four felony counts, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. If convicted on all charges, the pitcher could face a maximum of 65 years in prison.
Charges Detail Pitch Manipulation Scheme
Federal prosecutors from the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York allege that Ortiz and fellow Guardians pitcher Emmanuel Clase engaged in a conspiracy to rig specific pitches during Major League Baseball (MLB) games. The scheme focused on manipulating “prop bets”, wagers placed on specific in-game events, such as the type or speed of a pitcher’s throw.
Ortiz allegedly joined the conspiracy in June 2025. His role required him to throw the first pitch of an inning as a ball in exchange for cash payments. Prosecutors claim Ortiz received $5,000 for fixing a pitch on June 15 and $7,000 for a pitch on June 27. The manipulation allowed co-conspirators to win at least $60,000 through illegal sports bets.
The indictment states that through this scheme, the defendants “defrauded betting platforms, deprived Major League Baseball and the Cleveland Guardians of their honest services… misled the public, and betrayed America’s pastime.” This case marks the first use of the federal Sports Bribery statute in a professional US sports betting scandal since 1964.
Release and Flight Risk Assessment
Despite his not-guilty plea, Ortiz was released on $500,000 bail. Magistrate Judge Joseph Marutollo categorized Ortiz as an “enormous risk of flight.” This designation was based on the defendant’s “significant monetary resources” and “close connections in the Dominican Republic.”
To mitigate the flight risk, Judge Marutollo imposed strict conditions on Ortiz. These include mandatory GPS/location monitoring and a ban on all gambling activities. The judge explicitly cited the nature of the allegations, a “conspiracy to influence sports contests by bribery”, as the reason for the gambling restriction.
The defense team for Luis Ortiz has already signaled its intent to fight the federal charges. They claim the government’s case is “weak and circumstantial.”
Furthermore, the defense plans to argue that any monetary transfers to Ortiz were for legitimate, lawful activities unrelated to fixing pitches. The defense is seeking to prove that the evidence does not support the serious federal charges brought against the pitcher.
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