MLB sets $200 limit on pitch prop bets after Clase-Ortiz scandal
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MLB announced that major U.S. sports betting operators have set a $200 nationwide betting limit for baseball prop bets focused on individual pitches after Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz were indicted for their alleged roles in a gambling scheme.
The announcement also stated that individual field bets are now prohibited from being included in any bets. The move aims to reduce the incentive for players to manipulate the betting market.
MLB is cracking down after discussions with authorized sports betting partners that began this summer when Clase and Ortiz were placed on leave amid a gambling investigation.
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Emmanuel Clase (left) and Luis Ortiz were indicted in a federal gambling investigation on November 9, 2025. (IMAGN)
“I appreciate the industry working with us to take action on a national solution to address the risks posed by these field-level markets, which are particularly vulnerable to integrity concerns,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. he said.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine also offered Manfred guidance on the issue. Manfred noted that MLB has been working with its partner sportsbooks for the past seven years to “maintain our top priority: preserving the integrity of our games for fans.”
Federal prosecutors unsealed an indictment Sunday charging Clase and Ortiz for their alleged roles in a gambling scheme focused on whether individual pitches were called balls or strikes; This was a common prop bet that major sports betting sites offered to their customers.
GUARDIANS PITCHERS ACCUSED IN GAMBLING SCHEME INVOLVING MLB GAMES
The indictment alleged that the gamblers bet approximately $450,000 on individual pitches during the game and that the pitchers gave them information on what to throw.
MLB hopes that reducing the amount bettors can win on such prop bets will deter them from manipulating the market. DeWine wanted to go even further by banning prop betting altogether last season following the investigation into Clase and Ortiz in his state.
“By limiting the ability to place large bets on micro-props, Major League Baseball is taking positive steps to protect the integrity of the game and reduce incentives to participate in improper betting schemes,” DeWine said in a press release. he said. “I urge other sports leagues to follow Major League Baseball’s example with similar actions.”
Fanatics Sportsbook is one of the largest legal sports betting operations in the United States, which has agreed to adjust its baseball betting to fit the demands of MLB.
Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz remain on leave due to a gambling investigation as the World Series approaches. (David Dermer and Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn)
“The legal sports betting marketplace is designed to collaborate with regulators, leagues and lawmakers to provide sports fans with a safe betting experience,” Fanatics Sportsbook said in a statement to Fox News Digital. he said. “At Fanatics, we believe that addressing field-level markets with Major League Baseball is a way to demonstrate that the legal market is working, as well as a prudent step to protect the integrity of our national pastime.”
Clase and Ortiz are charged with wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to influence sports competitions through bribery and money laundering.
“We are aware of the recent law enforcement action. We will continue to fully cooperate with both law enforcement and Major League Baseball as investigations continue,” Guardians said.
The shooters were placed on administrative leave on July 3 due to a gambling investigation.
The indictment states that Clase and Ortiz “conspired with bettors to rig the fields at professional baseball games so that the bettors profited from illegal bets made based on inside information.” “The defendants agreed in advance with their co-conspirators to make certain types and speeds of pitches, and the co-conspirators used this inside information to place bets on those pitches.
Cleveland Guardians pitcher Emmanuel Clase during a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants on June 17, 2025 in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, file)
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“In some cases, the defendants received bribes and kickback payments in exchange for rigging venues – funneled through third parties. Through this scheme, the defendants defrauded betting platforms, deprived Major League Baseball and the Cleveland Guardians of their honest services, illicitly enriched themselves and their collaborators, misled the public, and betrayed America’s pastime.”
In the indictment, authorities said that from May 2023 to June 2025, Clase agreed with a co-conspirator to “throw certain pitches on certain MLB games,” thereby enabling his alleged partner bettors to “profit from illegal bets placed based on inside information.” Ortiz allegedly joined this scheme in June 2025.
Fox News’ Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.
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