Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges that he was part of an illegal sports betting scheme, and was released on a $600,000 bond.
The All-Star closer had been arrested by FBI agents at John F. Kennedy Airport Thursday morning after flying into New York from the Dominican Republic, according to a law enforcement source. As the case continues, Clase’s travel will be restricted to New York City, Long Island, and Ohio.
Clase follows his teammate, Luis Ortiz, who pleaded not guilty earlier this week. Ortiz was arranged in New York on Wednesday and was released on a $500,000 bond, according to the court docket. Under the conditions of his release, his travel is restricted to New York City, Long Island, Massachusetts, and Ohio. Both players will have their location monitored, are prohibited from “engaging in any form of gambling,” and will have their next court appearances Dec. 2.
The pitchers were indicted on Sunday. If convicted, they each face up to 65 years in federal prison for fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to influence sports betting contests by bribery, and money laundering. They also face lifetime MLB bans if it’s determined they did engage in illegal betting activity. The league’s own probe remains ongoing.
The saga dates back to the summer and starts with Ortiz, a 26-year-old right-handed starter who was placed on paid non-disciplinary leave by MLB July 3. At the time, the league said the leave was through the end of the All-Star break, and was due to an “investigation,” without specifying what was being investigated. Ortiz’s leave was later extended, and on July 28 Clase—a 27-year-old right-hander who is a three-time All-Star—got caught up in the fray. By that time, the league had admitted the investigation related to sports betting.
Clase’s agent declined to comment. MLB referred to its previous statement on the matter, which says the league “fully cooperated throughout the process.”
Following the indictment, MLB unveiled a nationwide plan with top sportsbooks to restrict prop bets on the sport. There, all of MLB’s authorized gaming operators, which include FanDuel and DraftKings, will cap wagers on pitch-level markets at $200 and exclude those bets from parlays.
The scandal embroiling the pitchers represents the latest in a string of sports betting-related headaches for leagues and organizations. Last month, Trail Blazers coach Chauncy Billups, Heat guard Terry Rozier, and former NBA pro Damon Jones were arrested as part of a sprawling sports betting investigation that centers around two alleged schemes—an insider information plot under which players and coaches are alleged to have provided nonpublic information to bettors, and a series of rigged poker games.
Earlier this month, meanwhile, the NCAA alleged six former men’s basketball players at three separate universities committed infractions that “involved betting-related game manipulation and/or student-athletes providing information to known bettors.”
