Guardians’ Clase and Ortiz Placed on Unpaid Leave Amidst Pitch-Rigging Investigation

Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz have been placed on unpaid non-disciplinary leave as they await trial for an alleged pitch-rigging scheme, Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association announced Friday, March 20, 2026. The move comes after both pitchers were previously on paid non-disciplinary leave following allegations they intentionally threw balls to benefit gamblers.

Details of the Allegation

Clase and Ortiz are accused of conspiring to influence sporting events by intentionally altering pitches – throwing balls instead of strikes – based on wagers placed on those pitches. Prosecutors allege the scheme began in 2023 and involved bettors placing wagers on the first pitch of at-bats, as well as manipulating pitch velocity. The alleged scheme netted bettors over $460,000 .

Legal Proceedings and Charges

Both pitchers have pleaded not guilty to charges including wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, and conspiracy to influence sporting events by bribery . The charges carry a potential prison sentence of up to 20 years. Their trial, initially scheduled for May, has been postponed until November, with jury selection beginning on November 2 .

Financial Implications

Clase, who signed a five-year, $20 million contract extension in April 2022, will forfeit his $6.4 million salary for the 2026 season whereas on unpaid leave. Ortiz, who has not yet reached arbitration, will not be paid his expected salary near the major league minimum of $780,000 .

MLB and MLBPA Agreement

The shift to unpaid leave was reached through an agreement between MLB and the MLBPA. MLB stated that the agreement is “not an admission of any wrongdoing” and that the league has been closely monitoring the situation since alerting federal law enforcement. MLB will have no further comment until the investigation is completed .

Investigation and Betting Market Restrictions

The allegations prompted MLB to request restrictions on betting markets involving individual pitches, including capping betting limits at $200 and prohibiting such wagers from being included in parlays . This was done to discourage similar schemes in the future.