03/20/26 12:35:00
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03/20 12:33 CDT Guardians won't have to pay Clase, Ortiz while MLB continues
gambling investigation and trial looms
Guardians won't have to pay Clase, Ortiz while MLB continues gambling
investigation and trial looms
NEW YORK (AP) --- The Cleveland Guardians won't have to pay indicted pitchers
Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz while Major League Baseball's investigation
continues into allegations of pitch-rigging for gamblers.
Ortiz was placed on paid leave last July 3 and Clase on July 28, and they
received their salaries while they didn't pitch for the remainder of the
season. They were indicted on federal charges on Nov. 9 and a trial is
scheduled for May 4 but could be delayed.
"As the legal proceedings involving Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase
and Luis Ortiz continue to move forward, MLB and the MLBPA have agreed that
both players will remain on non-disciplinary leave from the club without pay
until further notice," Major League Baseball said in a statement Friday.
"This agreement is not an admission of any wrongdoing by Clase or Ortiz," the
statement added. "MLB has been closely monitoring the matter since alerting
federal law enforcement at the outset of its investigation and will have no
further comment until its investigation has been completed."
Clase has a $6 million salary in 2026, the final guaranteed season of a $20
million, five-year contract. Ortiz does not have enough service time for
arbitration and makes around the minimum salary of $780,000.
Clase and Ortiz are charged by federal prosecutors with accepting several
thousand dollars in payoffs to help two gamblers from their native Dominican
Republic win at least $460,000 by placing more than 100 in-game prop bets and
parlays on the velocity and the outcome of certain pitches. Charges include
wire fraud conspiracy and conspiracy to influence sporting contests.
They entered not guilty pleas in Brooklyn federal court.
Clase is a three-time All-Star and two-time American League Reliever of the
Year.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
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