Bettors testify in trial over Cleveland Guardians pitch-rigging
Gamblers detail alleged scheme to profit from insider information on Cleveland Guardians pitcher's throws.
Emmanuel Clase leaves federal court in Brooklyn after pleading not guilty to throwing rigged pitches in MLB games (Erik Uebelacker/Courthouse News Service)
A federal trial in Brooklyn reached the end of its first week on Nov. 6, 2026, as witnesses provided testimony regarding an alleged scheme to manipulate Major League Baseball pitches for gambling purposes. Prosecutors allege that former Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, alongside Robinson Vasquez and Luis Arismendy Paca Mendez, conspired to share inside information to influence betting outcomes.
During the proceedings, government cooperator Luis de Aza testified that he utilized private information to place bets on DraftKings, resulting in winnings totaling tens of thousands of dollars. The government alleges that the scheme involved approximately $500,000 in proposition bets. Prosecutors are focusing their case on 18 specific pitches, though they have identified suspicious activity across at least 48 games.
The court heard evidence regarding the use of coded language to facilitate the scheme. Jurors were shown a message from Clase to de Aza that read, “it’s chicken number three after killing the first two, [play/bet] on three. And if I can’t kill him, don’t [play/bet].” This communication allegedly signaled when a pitcher would throw a ball or a pitch below a certain speed.
The defendants face charges including wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud, bribery related to sporting contests, and money laundering. If convicted, the charges carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. U.S. District Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto is presiding over the trial, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Sherman representing the government. Clase and Ortiz have remained on the MLB Restricted List since the summer of 2025.