MLB’s Gambling Probe Expands to Second Guardians Pitcher
Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase has been placed on non-disciplinary paid leave through August 31 as Major League Baseball continues its investigation into sports gambling. This development marks the second Guardians pitcher to be implicated in the ongoing inquiry, following right-hander Luis Ortiz, who was initially placed on leave on July 3, with his leave also extended to August 31, according to ESPN.
The Guardians organization released a statement indicating that “no additional players or club personnel are expected to be impacted” by the investigation, a detail confirmed by sources to ESPN. The specific nature of Clase’s ties to the investigation remains unclear at this time.
The Scope of the Investigation
The broader MLB investigation was triggered by an alert on June 27 from IC360, a firm specializing in monitoring betting markets for abnormalities. This alert specifically highlighted unusual gambling activity surrounding two pitches thrown by Luis Ortiz. These incidents occurred on June 15 against the Seattle Mariners and June 27 against the St. Louis Cardinals. In both instances, significant amounts of money were wagered from betting accounts in New York, New Jersey, and Ohio on the pitches being either a ball or a hit-batsman. Both pitches in question were reportedly well outside the strike zone, as detailed in a copy of the IC360 alert obtained by ESPN.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred addressed concerns about “microbets” – wagers on individual pitches or plays – at the All-Star Game in mid-July. While he expressed continued support for legal gambling due to the transparency it offers, Manfred stated, “There are certain types of bets that strike me as unnecessary and particularly vulnerable.” He emphasized that the current transparency and monitoring systems, a result of legalization and partnerships, better protect baseball’s integrity compared to the era of illegal, untracked betting.
Clase’s Stellar Career and Current Season
Emmanuel Clase, 27, has established himself as one of baseball’s elite closers. A three-time All-Star and two-time recipient of the Mariano Rivera Award for the American League’s best relief pitcher, Clase had a phenomenal 2024 season. He posted a minuscule 0.61 ERA over 74.1 innings, recording a career-high and Cleveland record 47 saves, and finished third in the AL Cy Young voting. His career ERA stands at 1.88 over 360.0 innings with 182 saves, according to Baseball-Reference.com.
However, his 2025 season has seen a slight dip in performance, with a 3.23 ERA and 24 saves across 47.1 innings. He has allowed 46 hits this season, already surpassing the 39 hits he gave up in all of 2024, while striking out 47 and walking 12, as reported by ESPN and MLB.com.
MLB’s Strict Gambling Policy and Recent Precedents
Major League Baseball maintains a stringent policy against betting on baseball games. Rule 21, prominently displayed in every clubhouse, explicitly states: “Any player, umpire or club or league official or employee, who shall bet any sum whatsoever upon any baseball game in connection with which the bettor has a duty to perform, shall be declared permanently ineligible.” While players are permitted to wager on other sports where legal, betting on baseball, even games not involving their own team, is strictly prohibited.
This investigation follows a series of recent gambling-related penalties in MLB and other professional sports. Last year, San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano received a lifetime ban for betting on baseball games, while four other players – Michael Kelly (Athletics), Jay Groome (Padres), José Rodriguez (Phillies), and Andrew Saalfrank (Diamondbacks) – were suspended for one year for similar violations. Kelly, Rodriguez, and Saalfrank have since completed their suspensions and returned to their respective teams. Beyond baseball, the NBA issued a lifetime ban to Jontay Porter for violating its sports betting policy, and NFL wide receiver Calvin Ridley was suspended for the entire 2022 season for his involvement in sports betting, as noted by CBS Sports.
The Cleveland Guardians currently hold a 52-53 record, placing them eight games behind in the AL Central division and 3.5 games out of the third wild-card spot.
