MLB cracks down with new betting limit after Cleveland pitchers charged in gambling scheme

MLB announced that salient U.S. sportsbook operators are establishing a nationwide $200 betting bounds connected shot prop wagers focused connected idiosyncratic pitches successful the aftermath of the indictment of Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz for their alleged roles successful a gambling scheme.

The announcement besides noted that individual-pitch bets are present prohibited from being included successful immoderate parlays. The determination aims to alteration the inducement for players to manipulate the betting market.

After discussions with authorized sportsbook partners — which began this summertime erstwhile Clase and Ortiz were placed connected permission amid a gambling probe — MLB is cracking down.

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Emmanuel Clase, left, and Luis Ortiz, were indicted successful a national gambling probe connected Nov. 9, 2025. (IMAGN)

"I commend the manufacture for moving with america to instrumentality enactment connected a nationalist solution to code the risks posed by these pitch-level markets, which are peculiarly susceptible to integrity concerns," MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said successful a statement.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine besides offered guidance to Manfred connected the issue. Manfred noted that MLB has worked with its partnered sportsbooks for the past 7 years to "uphold our astir important priority: protecting the integrity of our games for the fans."

Federal prosecutors unsealed an indictment Sunday charging Clase and Ortiz for their alleged roles successful a gambling strategy centered connected whether idiosyncratic pitches were called balls oregon strikes — a communal prop stake that large sportsbooks connection their customers.

GUARDIANS PITCHERS INDICTED IN GAMBLING SCHEME INVOLVING MLB GAMES

The indictment stated that the gamblers made astir $450,000 betting connected idiosyncratic pitches during the scheme, successful which the pitchers allegedly informed them what would beryllium thrown.

MLB hopes that reducing the magnitude bettors tin triumph connected specified prop bets volition disincentivize manipulating the market. DeWine wanted to spell further by banning the prop stake wholly pursuing the probe into Clase and Ortiz this past play successful his state.

"By limiting the quality to spot ample wagers connected micro-prop bets, Major League Baseball is taking affirmative steps to support the integrity of the crippled and trim the incentives to enactment successful improper betting schemes," DeWine said successful a property release. "I impulse different sports leagues to travel Major League Baseball’s illustration with akin action."

Fanatics Sportsbook is among the large legalized sports betting operations successful the U.S. that agreed to set their shot bets to comply with MLB’s requests.

Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz stay connected permission amid a gambling probe arsenic the World Series approaches. (David Dermer and Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn)

"The ineligible sports betting marketplace was designed to beryllium collaborative with regulators, leagues and lawmakers successful bid to supply a harmless betting acquisition for sports fans," Fanatics Sportsbook said successful a connection to Fox News Digital. "At Fanatics, we judge that addressing pitch-level markets with Major League Baseball is simply a mode to amusement that the ineligible marketplace is working, arsenic good arsenic a prudent measurement to support the integrity of our nationalist pastime."

Clase and Ortiz are charged with ligament fraud, ligament fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to power sporting contests by bribery, and wealth laundering.

"We are alert of the caller instrumentality enforcement action. We volition proceed to afloat cooperate with some instrumentality enforcement and Major League Baseball arsenic their investigations continue," the Guardians said.

The pitchers were placed connected administrative permission July 3 owed to the gambling probe.

Clase and Ortiz "conspired with bettors to rig pitches successful nonrecreational shot games truthful that the bettors would nett from amerciable wagers made based connected that wrong information," the indictment read. "The defendants agreed successful beforehand with their co-conspirators to propulsion circumstantial types and speeds of pitches, and their co-conspirators utilized that wrong accusation to spot wagers connected those pitches.

Cleveland Guardians pitcher Emmanuel Clase during a shot crippled against the San Francisco Giants successful San Francisco, June 17, 2025.  (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, file)

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"In immoderate instances, the defendants received bribes and kickback payments — funneled done 3rd parties — successful speech for rigging pitches. Through this scheme, the defendants defrauded betting platforms, deprived Major League Baseball and the Cleveland Guardians of their honorable services, illegally enriched themselves and their co-conspirators, misled the nationalist and betrayed America’s pastime."

Officials said successful the indictment that from May 2023 to June 2025, Clase agreed with 1 co-conspirator to "throw circumstantial pitches successful definite MLB games" truthful the bettors they were allegedly partnered with "would nett from amerciable wagers made based connected that wrong information." Ortiz allegedly joined the strategy successful June 2025.

Fox News’ Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.

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