A newly filed court document dramatically expands the scope of allegations against Emmanuel Clase, revealing that the former Cleveland Guardians closer is accused of manipulating far more games than previously disclosed.
The paperwork reframes the case against Clase as a far broader investigation into alleged betting-related misconduct, significantly widening the timeline and potential impact.
ESPN’s David Payne Purdum shared the update on X (formerly known as Twitter), citing a filing submitted Thursday that alleges the closer threw suspect pitches to benefit bettors in at least 48 games over a two-year span.
“Indicted Cleveland Guardians pitcher Emmanuel Clase is accused of throwing suspect pitches to benefit bettors in at least 48 games over two years, significantly more than was initially revealed by federal prosecutors, according to a court document filed Thursday.”
The revelation is significant because it transforms the case from what initially appeared to be a limited incident into a potentially systemic scheme, with the full number of games intentionally influenced still unknown.
The court document outlines a timeline spanning more than two years, recasting the allegations as part of an extended operation tied to sports betting markets.
According to the filing authored by Cristos Georgalis, the attorney representing Luis Ortiz, prosecutors possess evidence suggesting Clase manipulated pitches across at least 48 separate games between 2023 and 2025. The document asserts that the allegations against Clase significantly surpass those against Ortiz, who faces accusations of involvement in only two games. Purdum later expanded on the filing in a report published to ESPN.com, detailing the extent of the alleged scheme.
“With 26 months of alleged criminal conduct by Mr. Clase — including suspect pitches during 48 games, dozens of communications with [a bettor], cash transfers, and coordination of illegal wagers,” the filing states.
As the case moves forward, the growing list of alleged games and transactions places both Major League Baseball and federal investigators under increased scrutiny. With legal proceedings ongoing, the full implications for Clase, the Guardians organization, and the league’s betting safeguards remain unresolved, marking this as one of the most consequential integrity cases baseball has faced in the modern wagering era.
