MLB Puts Guardians Pitchers on Unpaid Leave Amid Trial
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- MLB and MLBPA agreed to shift Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz from paid non‑disciplinary leave to unpaid non‑disciplinary leave pending trial.
- Clase and Ortiz have pleaded not guilty to federal conspiracy charges—including wire fraud, honest services wire fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy to influence sporting events—each carrying up to 20 years in prison.
- Clase's 2026 salary is $6.4 million under a five‑year, $20 million extension, while Ortiz is projected to earn roughly the league minimum of $780,000.
- The indictment alleges Clase threw rigged pitches in at least nine games (potentially 48) and recruited Ortiz after his 2025 trade to the Guardians.
- MLB has asked sportsbooks to cap individual‑pitch betting at $200 and to exclude such wagers from parlays to deter similar schemes.
- Trial is set for the fall with jury selection beginning Nov. 2, and MLB has refrained from discipline pending the outcome.
Why it matters: The unpaid leave strips Clase’s $6.4 million 2026 salary and Ortiz’s near‑minimum earnings, hitting the players’ wallets while preserving MLB’s disciplinary neutrality pending a trial that could bring up to 20‑year sentences. Simultaneously, MLB’s new $200 pitch‑bet cap and parlay ban aim to protect betting integrity.
