MLB caps pitch bets after Cleveland pitchers’ indictment
Major League Baseball (MLB) has announced a sweeping restriction on betting related to individual pitches in the wake of being rocked by betting scandals. In a statement on 10 November (Monday), the league said all MLB Authorised Gaming Operators will now cap wagers on pitch-level markets at $200 and exclude them from parlays.
The new rule applies to bets on pitch outcomes such as velocity, strikes, and balls, and comes just one day after Cleveland Guardians pitchers Luis Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase were indicted for allegedly taking bribes to rig prop bets.
“Effective immediately, all MLB Authorised Gaming Operators will cap wagers on pitch-level markets at $200 and exclude those bets from parlays,” the league said.
MLB added that pitch-level wagers “present heightened integrity risks because they focus on one-off events that can be determined by a single player and can be inconsequential to the outcome of the game.”
The league said the restrictions were developed in partnership with sportsbooks representing over 98 percent of the US betting market, including FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesars, Bet365, Bally’s, and Penn Entertainment, among others.
“The risk on these pitch-level markets will be significantly mitigated by this new action targeted at the incentive to engage in misconduct,” MLB said. “The creation of a strict bet limit on this type of bet, and the ban on parlaying them, reduces the payout for these markets and the ability to circumvent the new limit.”
Federal indictments rock MLB
The new betting restrictions come in response to an escalating scandal, which resulted in Ortiz and Clase being charged, with the former being detained. In a recent development to the scandal, a Boston judge granted Ortiz bail after the player appeared in federal court. He was released on a $500,000 bond, ordered to surrender his passport, and to restrict travel to the US Northeast, and avoid contact with witnesses or co-defendants. Clase, 27, is believed to be outside the US.
According to federal prosecutors, Ortiz and Clase took thousands of dollars in payoffs from two gamblers in the Dominican Republic to manipulate pitch speed and outcomes during games. The alleged scheme reportedly earned the bettors at least $460,000 in winnings.
The pair were charged in US District Court in Brooklyn with wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery, and money laundering conspiracy. Each of the top counts carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison. The players had been on indefinite non-disciplinary paid leave.
Legal defense and court appearances
Both players have denied wrongdoing through their attorneys. “There is no credible evidence Luis knowingly did anything other than try to win games,” Chris Georgalis, Ortiz’s attorney, was quoted as saying. “Luis looks forward to fighting these charges in court.”
Michael J. Ferrara, Clase’s lawyer, said his client “has devoted his life to baseball and doing everything in his power to help his team win. Emmanuel is innocent of all charges and looks forward to clearing his name in court.”
This case marks the latest chapter in a broader federal crackdown on sports betting integrity. Just last month, more than 30 people, including NBA coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, were arrested in connection with illegal gambling rings accused of rigging poker games and exploiting insider information.
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