Emmanuel Clase Latest Cleveland Pitcher Tied to Gambling Probe

Cleveland Guardians All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase has been given paid, non-disciplinary leave through Aug. 31 as part of Major League Baseball's ongoing investigation into possible gambling violations of its rules. The league announced the action on July 28, stating that the decision was made collectively with the MLB Players Association.

Clase became the second Guardians pitcher in a month to be suspended during a gambling inquiry. The Guardians said in a statement that they were informed no additional players or employees are expected to be affected. The team did not provide additional commentary, as they were restricted by the league's closed-door procedure.

Clase, a three-time All-Star, has been among the league's top relievers. He has 24 saves to date, though his output has been lower than in his previous seasons. In his career, Clase has 182 saves and a 1.88 ERA.

Ortiz Leave extended

The announcement of Clase’s leave follows only a week after teammate Luis Ortiz was placed on non-disciplinary leave early in July amid similar allegations of waging bets. Those incidents are part of a wider campaign by MLB to identify and fix abnormalities involving bets on sporting events.

Ortiz will remain on non-disciplinary leave through Aug. 31 per the investigation after initially being placed on leave on July 3 and being scheduled to return by July 19. Yet, Ortiz’s return was delayed with permission from the league and from the MLB Players Association.

Now, Ortiz remains suspended from pay and is also prohibited from participating in any team facilities or baseball activities. The Guardians confirmed they were notified of the ruling and are collaborating with the league's current inquiry.

The investigation stems from two pitches thrown by Ortiz that triggered alerts from a sports betting integrity monitoring service. The bets in question reportedly involved prop wagers on pitch outcomes. 

The league’s investigators were notified after the flagged activity and are currently reviewing whether Ortiz had any direct involvement or if third parties exploited the data.

Malik Beasley probe

Regulators are increasing their efforts to uncover questionable betting activity in sports, and all leagues are fair game. 

Recently, Detroit Pistons guard Malik Beasley became entangled in a federal investigation into illegal gambling activity, wire fraud, and insider betting schemes, though he has not been formally charged. As a result, a three-year, $42 million deal was called off by the Pistons following the revelation of the inquiry. 

Beasley reportedly became a target of investigation after a sportsbook had reported strange betting activities surrounding his play during a game between the Portland Trail Blazers and Milwaukee Bucks.  Specifically, significant betting volume on the Under for Beasley’s rebound total raised alarms. 

The broader investigation also includes Jontay Porter, formerly of the Toronto Raptors, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Four others have also pleaded guilty in the same case.