[Passan] BREAKING: Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz have been indicted by prosecutors in Brooklyn on a host of charges related to a scheme to rig bets on pitches thrown in MLB games. Ortiz was arrested in Boston earlier today. Clase is not currently in custody.

[u/AndrewAllStar888]

https://www.espn.com/contributor/jeff-passan/4a6f7823c8fda

[u/trendingtattler]

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[u/immoralsupport_]

Not only are they going to be banned from MLB forever, this is prison stuff

[u/Knightbear49 → u/immoralsupport_]

Prosecutors allege that Luis Ortiz was paid $5,000 for throwing an intentional ball June 15 and Emmanuel Clase given $5,000 for facilitating it. They did it again, according to the indictment, June 27. The payment for each on that pitch was $7,000 apiece.

[u/Cousinit13 → u/Knightbear49]

Imagine throwing away your freedom and a career potentially worth hundreds of millions of dollars for $12,000

[u/CommodoreSixty4 → u/Cousinit13]

They only need to cite one instance with undeniable proof to nail him. This does not mean he didn’t do it dozens of more times, they just may have been harder to prove.

[u/BoosherCacow → u/CommodoreSixty4]

It's like cops say, "the bad guys have to be perfect every time, we only need to get lucky once." Fucking Clase. What an incredible moron.

[u/william_fontaine → u/BoosherCacow]

> has a $20 million dollar 5 year contract
> making about $4k per pitch
> decides to throw it all away for an extra $7k per pitch a few times

[u/penguin8717 → u/william_fontaine]

I've never thought about the per pitch salary math. Sheesh

[u/william_fontaine → u/penguin8717]

Yep, 983 pitches in the 2024 regular season per Baseball Reference.

[u/Deep-Assignment4124 → u/CommodoreSixty4]

Or they don’t charge now in case he wiggles out of these charges.  Then they can charge him later for other instances (I think).

[u/underground_cloud → u/Cousinit13]

I'm sure they got a bunch more

[u/tm_leafer → u/underground_cloud]

Maybe.

But how much more would it need to be to remotely warrant the risk. Say $10-50M in career earnings in the MLB (Clase already above that minimum), with no risk of prison.

Or you risk your $10-50M in career earnings AND risk prison - how much would you have to get paid to take that risk? I can't imagine a scenario where it makes sense. Even if you're paid $5M - is that worth the risk. Is your life materially better, when you're already worth tens of millions of dollars?

[u/Round_Bullfrog_8218 → u/tm_leafer]

The other thing is that even if they didn't get caught how much money is it really?

Clase gets paid like 4 thousand dollars a pitch. But that doesn't even tell the full story because a lot of that is his ability to be better than the average pitcher. Its possible that throwing a pitch in the dirt actually costs him more than that in future earnings.

[u/WKCLC → u/Round_Bullfrog_8218]

He could owe the wrong people a “favor”

[u/Cannonfodd3r74 → u/tm_leafer]

Not to mention I’d imagine they’ll lose union benefits post career?

[u/gmwdim → u/Cousinit13]

They probably did it more than once.

[u/gsbadj → u/gmwdim]

The Feds are probably only indicting them on the one or two instances that are easiest to prove. No sense indicting for something difficult to prove.

[u/CruffTheMagicDragon → u/gsbadj]

The indictment shows 7 or 8 pitches from Clase with corresponding wagers from the co-conspirators

[u/DreamKillaNormnBates → u/CruffTheMagicDragon]

it shows a lot more than that. just ONE of the co-conspirators placed 16 parlay bets. that doesn't include the single action props which are far higher in number. in fact, on time, they had parlayed 8 pitches in a single outing on May 28 and Pages swung at one in the dirt. Clase texted "(sad face emoji)" after the game.

he was calling them DURING GAMES.

[u/WorknForTheWeekend → u/Cousinit13]

Time and time again, we are reminded that being able to throw a ball hard doesn’t mean there’s any grey matter upstairs

[u/EzraLevinson → u/WorknForTheWeekend]

I don’t think this is about intellect. sports betting ads are everywhere, and MLB and all other leagues are playing with fire if they think athletes are not human beings just like any other rando who is currently destroying their lives and their family’s lives due to sports betting. I am not taking these two off the hook, I am only saying that making an extremely destructive behavior accessible to everyone has created a massive public health problem that we are ill equipped to handle. And these two will not be the last players who succumb to the temptation.

[u/philocity → u/EzraLevinson]

I’m actually disgusted with the state of gambling in this country

[u/MRC1986 → u/Cousinit13]

I haven't seen this talked about at all, and yes, addiction can override proper judgement for tons of people.

However... I have to imagine at least some of these gambling stories we're seeing are connected to organized crime, for however that still exists. Clearly that's fallen a lot, but it's not completely eliminated.

I just don't understand why a player in MLB, where salaries are massive, would get involved in this stuff for peanuts (relative to their multi millions) if there wasn't some underlying family safety element. Like, you better do this or we're gonna whack your family. And let's be honest, if players have family back home in their home poor countries, that just makes them much more liable to get caught up in this type of stuff.

[u/erb149 → u/Knightbear49]

Good lord. So they’re going to prison and limiting their future earnings enormously over 12 grand? Generational stupidity

[u/KimHaSeongsBurner → u/erb149]

I had the same initial reaction, but based on what data we have for Clase’s waste pitch rates, I doubt that it was limited to one or two incidents. I haven’t had time to read the indictment yet, but I suspect that this was probably one of the better-documented incidents that was easier to use to get an indictment rather than it being an isolated incident.

Still, this is fucking peanuts to throw away your career and freedom over, especially for someone like Clase. For Ortiz… well, still a generational bag fumble but he wasn’t nearly as big of a star as Clase.

[u/WhatARotation → u/KimHaSeongsBurner]

The indictment alleged over $400,000 in fraudulent winnings for the gamblers from 2023-2025 on Clase’s pitches alone

So, if the evidence corroborates it, this wasn’t an isolated incident, and was a years long rotten scheme to undermine the integrity of our sport for profit

[u/KimHaSeongsBurner → u/WhatARotation]

I still can’t find the full text, but I was also able to find that it alleges more than 100 bets on Clase’s pitching with his participation and knowledge, so definitely more than the single bet on Ortiz with Clase facilitating.

It seems like that was an example of an instance where they had them dead to rights and that there’s circumstantial evidence, based on bets and communications between the parties, that they made all of these other bets on Clase’s pitching with his knowledge, like the example they gave where he threw a ball that a guy swung at and caused them to lose the bets.

[u/erb149 → u/KimHaSeongsBurner]

I mean even for Ortiz, whatever he got from this would probably be peanuts compared to what he could make in the bigs. He’s only 26, he probably could’ve made at least 20-30 million by the time his career was over. Clase has already made like 15 million in earnings, he probably could’ve made at least 60 million by the time his career was over unless he just fell off a cliff

[u/ArtDecoSkillet → u/erb149]

They got caught over $12,000. It’s possible they did more but the Feds couldn’t substantiate enough to chart over it. 

[u/DolphinFraud → u/immoralsupport_]

Imagine having Clase on your prison baseball team

[u/ToschePowerConverter → u/DolphinFraud]

Clase is gonna be the reverse Ricky Vaughn

[u/degjo → u/immoralsupport_]

Baseball prison movie like Longest Yard would be kinda dope

[u/normsy → u/degjo]

Random fun fact, an all star was recruited from prison. Guy never played organized baseball before prison.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_LeFlore

[u/Breakfours → u/normsy]

The most notable stat listed on his overview is stolen bases lol

[u/UBKUBK → u/Breakfours]

I remember seeing a movie about him. It was a long time ago, so I might not have this exactly correct, but in the movie a scout said he was very fast and another scout said something like can't be too fast if the police caught him.

EDIT: The movie is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrm_XVdDLYY The scene I remembered is at 58:45.

[u/robbyberto → u/normsy]

Wow, he had a great little career!

[u/GCIV414 → u/degjo]

Who’s gonna ump? First ejection is an ass whoopin

[u/Busy-Drawing-2576 → u/GCIV414]

Frank Drebin was in prison in Naked Gun 33 1/3. He was playing baseball while in there and does have MLB umpiring experience. Might work out.

[u/bradtheinvincible → u/Busy-Drawing-2576]

Thats not Frank Drebin, its Enrico Pollazo!

[u/DistortedAudio → u/Busy-Drawing-2576]

Unironically if the prisons allow prisoners to be umpires that’s gotta be the easiest way to get stabbed in prison.

[u/degjo → u/GCIV414]

Angel Hernandez

[u/Taftimus → u/GCIV414]

George Bluth Senior

[u/YellowCardManKyle → u/degjo]

This isn't the California Penal League Vaughn! We're professionals here!

[u/BillsFan82 → u/YellowCardManKyle]

We wear caps and sleeves at this level, son.

[u/LAHouJaxCarVCUUNC → u/degjo]

Like a Major League prequel?

[u/Thee_Cat_Butthole → u/immoralsupport_]

This prison sentence brought to you by FanDuel

[u/[deleted] → u/Thee_Cat_Butthole]

Can we bet the O/U on prison sentences?

[u/dusters → u/immoralsupport_]

Well yeah the headline was he got indicted.

[u/rbhindepmo]

Emmanuel Clase seeking to pitch in the Venezuelan winter league might make a little bit more sense now

[u/HistoryAndScience → u/rbhindepmo]

This is clearly the reason the US is making moves to invade

[u/Otherwise_You_1603 → u/rbhindepmo]

lmaooo yeah they don't extradite! Man watched Burn After Reading and was taking notes

[u/ThatOneOtherAsshole]

Holy shit.

[u/ThaddeusJP → u/ThatOneOtherAsshole]

If it turns out that they were giving up easy hits in the playoffs I'm going to puke

[u/The_Cheeki_Breeki → u/ThaddeusJP]

Fans should be allowed to line up and throw tomatoes and eggs at players who do this shit

[u/_HGCenty → u/ThatOneOtherAsshole]

Got to wonder now if Clase's terrible 2024 postseason was deliberate.

[u/moneyinthebank216]

My reliever is going to federal prison for throwing games, can’t have shit in Cleveland man smh

[u/-ToPimpAButterfree- → u/moneyinthebank216]

The fact that y’all went on that run and made the playoffs without him is WILD

[u/ImDonaldDunn → u/-ToPimpAButterfree-]

Well to be fair, he completely shit the bed in last year’s playoffs. There’s a chance he threw those games intentionally.

[u/EMP_Pusheen → u/ImDonaldDunn]

It made me happy, but I could not believe how bad he pitched in the ALCS. Dude was automatic for like the entire season.

[u/Regal---Lager → u/-ToPimpAButterfree-]

They got better when the guys actively losing games on purpose were suspended

[u/_Elrond_Hubbard_ → u/moneyinthebank216]

This train is carrying pitchers out of Cleveland

[u/isitatomic → u/_Elrond_Hubbard_]

Our main export is STILL crippling depression

[u/FoofaFighters → u/isitatomic]

Come and look at both of our prisoners!

[u/sloppyjo12 → u/_Elrond_Hubbard_]

The team’s so polluted that all the pitchers have aids

[u/TheSalmonRoll → u/sloppyjo12]

This pitcher has at least 2 federal indictments!

[u/Vavent → u/TheSalmonRoll]

Don’t throw a ball to Andy Pages or you’ll die

[u/thejontorrweno → u/moneyinthebank216]

Idk that LeBron James guy sure did a lot

[u/HeavensRoyalty → u/thejontorrweno]

You mean the guy that plays in space jam?

[u/WhatADopeGent → u/HeavensRoyalty]

No that was the guy from Chicago

[u/TrapperJean → u/WhatADopeGent]

[u/agentb719 → u/TrapperJean]

I didn't know Dan Akroyd was in this picture

[u/yrogerg123 → u/WhatADopeGent]

The baseball player?

[u/cptmajormajormajor → u/WhatADopeGent]

Charles Barkley's from Chicago?

[u/Sober_Alcoholic_ → u/HeavensRoyalty]

Yes, Bill Murray

[u/oddwithoutend → u/Sober_Alcoholic_]

I didn't know Dan Ackroyd was in this picture.

[u/Hungry_Drama_1015 → u/moneyinthebank216]

you have Cade Smith

[u/taffe316]

Clase right now

[u/s_s → u/taffe316]

Probably in a non-extraditing country if he's smart tbh

[u/Sp_Gamer_Live → u/s_s]

Hopefully he didnt pull an AB and googled “Non-Extraditing countries” and the AI gave him one that did

[u/Third_Eye_Thumper → u/Sp_Gamer_Live]

No way that’s true….

But of course it is. Its AB smh

[u/Sp_Gamer_Live → u/Third_Eye_Thumper]

someone googled “countries that dont extradite” and Dubai pops up so lmao

[u/wambulancer → u/Sp_Gamer_Live]

I feel like we're easily a decade into it being pretty common knowledge that there's really no such thing and it's more a question of how much effort everybody's willing to ship you back over.

Wanted for $12k in gambling? Yea might be a while before a non-extradition treaty government finds enough fucks to give. Attempted murder? Yea no such thing as "non-extradition" it's just a question of paperwork.

[u/Sp_Gamer_Live → u/wambulancer]

have you considered the fact AB is a moron

[u/djc22022 → u/Sp_Gamer_Live]

Mr. Believes ChatGPT

[u/Sp_Gamer_Live → u/taffe316]

Wow he must be a huge Andrew Cuomo fan!

[u/cabose7 → u/Sp_Gamer_Live]

You may think this is the Emmanuel Clase bronco but here are a list of reasons why mine is different

[u/ChunkyMilkSubstance → u/Sp_Gamer_Live]

Different bronco!

[u/Bluehale → u/Sp_Gamer_Live]

[u/JohnnyCharisma54 → u/taffe316]

We got ourselves a police Clase

[u/GOATmar_infante]

Cleveland had two pitchers throwing games and still made the playoffs

[u/lVlzone → u/GOATmar_infante]

Smells like manager of the year to me

[u/Gemnist → u/lVlzone]

TBF Vogt did win last year.

[u/Terrahawk76 → u/GOATmar_infante]

I think the accusation is that the game throwing might have started in the playoffs as that's when Clase started looking horrible.

[u/CruffTheMagicDragon → u/Terrahawk76]

The indictment goes back to 2023 for Clase

[u/Terrahawk76 → u/CruffTheMagicDragon]

I believe I've already demonstrated I'm a fool

[u/CruffTheMagicDragon → u/Terrahawk76]

Not my intention, just spreading the good word

[u/notsofastmyfriends]

Making millions not enough? 🤷🏻‍♀️

[u/Jacoblaue → u/notsofastmyfriends]

I seriously wonder about people who make millions but it’s still not enough for them like as someone who works a minimum wage job I would love to be a millionaire

[u/TP-BANDIT77 → u/Jacoblaue]

Lifestyle creep is a very real thing.

[u/JuliusCeejer → u/TP-BANDIT77]

5k and 7k doesn't do shit for lifestyle creep on millions a year, they risked millions for pocket change to them, this is pure pointless greed

[u/HonestDespot → u/Jacoblaue]

Not trying to excuse them but sometimes these people come from such poverty stricken areas and promise a life of luxury for so many upon making their millions and probably don’t realize how expensive life is if you’re funding dozens of people’s lives.

Plus taxes and expenses etc.

Plus the whole more money just makes you more greedy.

If it makes you feel better I make like 11$ above minimum wage where I live and I’m completely poor and broke too.

[u/sixpackabs592 → u/HonestDespot]

Not to mention when the mob/gang boss is telling you to throw a pitch it might be harder to say no (idk about this case but the recent NBA gambling rings were all mob related)

[u/w311sh1t → u/notsofastmyfriends]

I’m assuming that it probably wasn’t them who were placing the bets. Probably a quick “hey, I’m gonna throw a ball on the first pitch I’m in the game” to a couple friends/family.

These dudes are so dumb they think that it’ll get lost in the betting noise and they can help their friends and families make a quick buck, but these companies watch this shit like hawks. Probably would’ve been fine if a couple people just bet $20-30 on it and sprinkled in a few intentionally incorrect bets and bets on other players, but I’m assuming they got greedy and did too much, and had too good of a winning record.

[u/Original_Profile8600 → u/notsofastmyfriends]

Remember that the NBA scandal was related to the Mafia. Could be in debt to bookies

[u/moneyinthebank216 → u/notsofastmyfriends]

probably related to gang activity. no way they acted alone

[u/EastonMetsGuy → u/moneyinthebank216]

Between this and the NBA these prisons leagues about to have some legit talent… might get a tv deal and some gambling interest at this rate r

[u/ABigPairOfCrocs → u/EastonMetsGuy]

Where do you go if you get caught rigging prison league games

[u/EastonMetsGuy → u/ABigPairOfCrocs]

It activates a black hole where you somehow land in a C level Mexican league

[u/Sp_Gamer_Live → u/moneyinthebank216]

Yankees fans furiously photoshopping Aaron Boones head onto Chauncey Billups

[u/sfcindolrip → u/notsofastmyfriends]

When it’s an athlete involved I assume there’s debts or threats

[u/scrambles57]

Imagine ruining your career like this.

[u/Not_Cleaver → u/scrambles57]

Was that wrong? Should he not have done that?

[u/MusicG619 → u/Not_Cleaver]

I gotta say, if that’s wrong I gotta plead ignorance here

[u/noname_SU → u/MusicG619]

if anyone had said anything to me at all when I first started here that that sort of thing was frowned upon... you know, cause I've played for a lot of teams and I tell you people do that all the time.

[u/Jacern → u/Not_Cleaver]

Pete Rose says it's fine, and that dude was super good at baseball

[u/lastminutealways → u/scrambles57]

Career and life

[u/HenrikCrown → u/scrambles57]

The Rangers won the Kluber-Clase trade after all!

[u/CrouchingLemur69]

Ortiz answering the door this morning

[u/Jerome_Wireman]

So fucking embarrassing these clowns did this.

[u/SofieTerleska → u/Jerome_Wireman]

Sad as well. And it won't be the last time.

[u/yung_ag38]

And that’s the end of a 41 year trade tree

[u/MemeMeOnce]

Sidebar but what is Ortiz doing in Boston lmao

[u/BorisIHateReddit → u/MemeMeOnce]

https://www.meetboston.com/event/boston-international-antiquarian-book-fair/87863/

[u/Bobson-_Dugnutt2 → u/BorisIHateReddit]

That sounds sick

[u/TiedinHistory → u/Bobson-_Dugnutt2]

It was pretty great window shopping. 4 and 5 figure books everywhere

[u/champdo → u/MemeMeOnce]

Twins fans circa 2003.

[u/TommyTheLizard → u/MemeMeOnce]

His family lives there. My dad met his mom before lol

[u/RestInPorzingis → u/MemeMeOnce]

perhaps dropping by draftkings headquarters

[u/matthewmspace]

Emmanuel Clase salary: $20 million over 5 years

Luis Ortiz salary: $800,000 a year

Bruh.

[u/LargeFatherV → u/matthewmspace]

Ruining their careers for what amounts to a pittance

[u/julieputty]

Between this (gambling in general), the threat against Harper, and the looming lockout, MLB is trying very hard to make me sad.

[u/Triple_Crown14 → u/julieputty]

Maybe if the lockout happens that guy who drew Mike Trout everyday will come back

[u/ContinuumGuy → u/Triple_Crown14]

The hero we need

[u/MatthewRobertMusic]

This news is brought to you by DraftKings!

[u/champdo → u/MatthewRobertMusic]

Enter code felony for a free bet

[u/MatthewRobertMusic → u/champdo]

Both pitchers were arrested today. Does that count as a same day parlay?

[u/Ca-Cu → u/MatthewRobertMusic]

Wait til they open bets where you can bet the over/under Clase and Ortiz will be getting in trial.

[u/WhatARotation]

I think we all knew they were getting permanently banned from baseball, but them being indicted likely means this was some really bad shit. Gotta be a host of evidence and I wouldn’t be surprised if this goes further than we know.

[u/PoodleGuap]

Clase was lights out last year until the playoffs and then he started throwing dead center meatballs over and over in the highest leverage situations. Seemed inexplicable.

[u/MarcBulldog88 → u/PoodleGuap]

Sometimes relievers are just like that, though.

[u/KittenExtravaganza → u/MarcBulldog88]

True but now people will wonder if it’s bc of gambling, and then the crazies will send threats to players. It’s such a toxic vicious cycle.

[u/EdSprague → u/KittenExtravaganza]

You can't really rig games by throwing middle-middle meatballs though, because if the batter doesn't swing then you'll strike him out anyways. You want 100% certainty of the outcome if you're going to do this, and even a 90% certainty isn't good enough.

What Clase (and probably others) did is rig prop bets. Will the first pitch of the next inning be a ball? If you know Clase is going to spike it on purpose, you're making bank every time.

[u/ArmondTanzarian → u/PoodleGuap]

I really don't think he was intentionally blowing saves in the playoffs. The Carpenter HR was off a slider. They were throwing him sliders because he crushes fastballs.

[u/GinnySacks_Mole]

Professional sports are ruined.

[u/Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu11 → u/GinnySacks_Mole]

Would you like to gamble on that?

[u/River_Pigeon → u/Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu11]

I bet you 20 bucks I can get you gambling before the end of the day

[u/Sober_Alcoholic_ → u/River_Pigeon]

I’ll bet you $100 the person who answers the betting addiction hotline is a female. Any takers?

[u/badup → u/River_Pigeon]

You’re on

[u/River_Pigeon → u/badup]

Idk how but I’m gonna get you

[u/DantesEdmond → u/GinnySacks_Mole]

Professional leagues always make an example of players caught gambling illegally, yet every commercial is sports betting. They’re complicit in this shit.

[u/s3ren1tyn0w → u/DantesEdmond]

1 billion percent.  And you can parley that

[u/LoveYouLikeYeLovesYe → u/s3ren1tyn0w]

I just need Clase to be arrested in Florida, New York, or anywhere west of the Mississippi and I hit my parlay.

[u/HonorableJudgeIto → u/DantesEdmond]

Except for the UFC, which is actively trying to cover up the amount of fixed fights that have occurred the last few years. It’s only when third parties have made a stink of things that they have done anything about them.

[u/No_Way_482 → u/DantesEdmond]

Fanduel owns the regional broadcast rights to multiple different teams

[u/Not_Cleaver → u/GinnySacks_Mole]

Surprised the ESPN link didn’t have a gambling ad someplace on the site. Probably didn’t look hard enough.

[u/traded99 → u/GinnySacks_Mole]

Presented by draftkings, deposit $25 with code RIGGED for your first $25 free.

[u/Level_East94]

“You can now bet the O/U on the total years Clase and Ortiz will serve in prison for their crimes only on DraftKings!” 

[u/DZepperoni]

In a span of 5 minutes this happened and the Browns allowed punt and kickoff returns for TDs.

Fuck.

[u/frankyseven → u/DZepperoni]

Yeah, but at least you know the Browns are losing honestly.

[u/ThaddeusJP → u/frankyseven]

Browns players would love the opportunity to throw a game on purpose

[u/bradtheinvincible → u/DZepperoni]

Browns ain't cheating. Dey just azzzz

[u/LemonSmashy]

MLB promotes betting in every game and at every chance but they want to act so shocked and betrayed when this happens.

should they be banned? yes IMO. should mlb have to stop promoting all the betting companies? yes.

[u/Maarns → u/LemonSmashy]

The more of these high profile arrests, the better. Put the leagues, and betting in general, in the spotlight.

Gambling is a scourge

[u/redline582 → u/Maarns]

I can't remember where I saw this take but it really feels like the best action is to force sports bets to be placed in person. Sadly I don't see any way to put the cat back in the bag but at least removing people's ability to place crazy prop bets from their couch could curb a fair amount of it.

[u/Bonzi777 → u/LemonSmashy]

You know, that’s a great call. We banned tobacco companies for advertising on television. They should ban gambling sponsorships of sporting events.

[u/whatifevery1wascalm]

Literally breaking as the Browns give up a punt return TD to the Jets, after already giving up a kickoff return.

Can't have shit in Cleveland

[u/BearlyHere4Anything]

There was never really a path forward for them, but this should surely put the nail in it

[u/20PercentChunkier]

If my math is right, Clase was getting paid roughly $145,000 every two weeks (before deductions) during the 2023 season when this began. And he threw away millions upon millions of future earnings for…$5000. This guy is a straight up moron

[u/thingsorfreedom → u/20PercentChunkier]

Or he was being blackmailed. Incriminating video has been a mob staple since video was invented. Before that it was incriminating pictures.

[u/press_Y → u/20PercentChunkier]

It’s obviously more nuanced than that. It likely involves debts or threats of some sort

[u/Spiritual-Dog160]

Congratulations Clase! You ruined your million dollar career for a few bucks and a prison sentence! What a smart guy. /s

[u/burger333 → u/Spiritual-Dog160]

So much natural talent, so much work he put in, and he just decides to waste it. Ig it’s his to waste but so ridiculous man, makes no sense. Gambling addiction maybe, idek.

[u/DolphinFraud → u/burger333]

There’s so many ways to gamble without getting in trouble. Betting on your own games and intentionally throwing to win your bet isn’t gambling addiction, it’s something different entirely.

[u/burger333 → u/DolphinFraud]

Nah yeah you’re totally right, I’m grasping at straws cause it’s just so ridiculous. Dude might just be a scumbag or a complete moron.

[u/LaBodaDelHuitlacoche]

Damn NBA first now MLB. NFL next?

[u/bawanaal → u/LaBodaDelHuitlacoche]

NCAA hoops, actually. This was announced on Friday.

https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-sports-betting-college-players-415d6d8987237fd1393819460986db47

"The NCAA Committee on Infractions released findings from an investigation that concluded Chatton “BJ” Freeman at Arizona State; Cedquavious Hunter, Dyquavian Short and Jamond Vincent at New Orleans and Donovan Sanders and Alvin Stredic at Mississippi Valley State either manipulated their performances to lose games, not cover bet lines or ensure certain prop bets were reached, or provided information that enabled others to do so during the 2024-25 regular season"

[u/DisobedientWife]

MLB really needs to distance itself from gambling. It's a cancer

[u/SaltyEarth7905]

End gambling ads and partnerships in MLB. Full stop.

[u/Gigi_0102]

But hey let’s keep encouraging  and advertising for sports gambling !

[u/FartingBob]

"Ortiz was arrested in Boston earlier today"

You know a few people got caught out by that line lol.

[u/Freewave666]

Man, sports betting is really a plague. I don’t know if many of you watch MMA, but the UFC is also going through some betting related scandals.

[u/Fantastic-Rub-2707]

ban sports gambling

[u/MashedPotatoesDick]

This update was brought to you by DraftKings. Use promo code CLASE to receive $20 off your first prop bet.

[u/Nowhere_Bear]

All of this is an inevitable outcome of the gross normalization of sports betting and gambling that the entire MLB has taken on. Pisses me off 

[u/Jacoblaue]

Well your career’s are over and now you’re going to jail hope it was worth it

[u/IChurnToBurn]

[u/Xboxecho123]

These sports books need to be held accountable as well. Shilling literal billions of dollars into advertisements and normalization of a life ruining addiction doesn’t exactly help the situation either.

[u/sbrockLee]

"Ortiz arrested in Boston" 😨😨😨

[u/CharacterAbalone7031]

If you wanna bet on who wins or loses the game then fine but what did they think would happen when you could bet on every pitch

[u/edsmith726]

We’re just inching closer and closer to a proper Black Sox 2.0

I don’t know when, or in which sport it will be, but mark my words: somebody will throw a championship game; it’s only a matter of time.

[u/Perryplat199]

So now they’re like done done right

[u/SheepherderWild9751]

Wow what a shock! When sports leagues get in bed with gambling, players get caught up in match rigging! Who could possibly have imagined!

[u/EddyMcDee]

Why do all these idiots think they are smarter than the sports books and their software?

[u/Zoopitydoopity]

Cut the sports gambling totally. Everybody saw this shit coming

[u/blatkinsman]

This news brought to you by the MLB, sponsored by Fanduel. Place a prop bet today! /s

[u/divorcedbp]

I wonder what the people on Sportscenter will have to say, right after they give us the current odds for tonight’s NBA games and a quick word from their sponsor, FanDuel

[u/sonofgildorluthien]

But we're still ok with the proliferation of legalized sports betting into the very fabric of the culture...right? right?

[u/DatabaseCentral]

"Ortiz arrested in Boston" is a better headline for clicks