• MLB announces new limits on pitch-level markets
• Cleveland Guardians pitchers allegedly worked with bettors, rigging pitches
• Ortiz appears in court today, makes $500,000 bail

Sportsbook operators have agreed to place a $200 wagering limit on micro-betting around individual pitches in Major League Baseball games, as well as prohibiting these types of bets from being included in parlays.

Silhouette of Dodger fans cheer and point from grandstands overlooking home plate at National League Championship Series (NLCS), Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Image via Getty.

The announcement comes a day after two Cleveland Guardians pitchers were charged in a sports betting and money laundering conspiracy.

MLB made the announcement this afternoon. Commissioner Rob Manfred said the league has been working with sportsbook partners to set limits on pitch-level markets (ball/strike, pitch velocity) to decrease the incentive for manipulation, and mitigate integrity risks, that has allegedly happened with Guardians’ pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz.

FBI Indictments

According to an indictment unsealed yesterday, Ortiz and Clase are alleged to have worked with bettors, rigging pitches during MLB games, with fraudulent wagers leading to over USD $400,000 in winnings paid to gamblers, thousands of dollars of which kicked back to the pitchers. 

Clase is alleged to have worked with bettors going back to around May 2023, manipulating pitches, while Ortiz got involved for the first time last June. Both players were charged with wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to influence sporting contest by bribery and money laundering conspiracy. 

In one reported incident involving Clase, the Guardians’ relief pitcher invited a bettor to a game in April, where they spoke by phone before Clase took the mound. Just minutes after the call, the bettor and associates won $11,000 on a bet that Clase would throw a certain pitch less than 97.95 mph.

Integrity of the Game

Both players are looking at a maximum sentence of 65 years in prison on all counts.

“Since the Supreme Court decision opened the door to legalized sports betting, Major League Baseball has continuously worked with industry and regulatory stakeholders across the country to uphold our most important priority: protecting the integrity of our games for the fans,” said Manfred. “I commend Ohio Governor [Mike] DeWine for his leadership on this issue over the last several months. I also commend the industry for working with us to take action on a national solution to address the risks posed by these pitch-level markets, which are particularly vulnerable to integrity concerns. 

“We look forward to continuing to work with all stakeholders, including licensed sports betting operators, elected officials and regulators, to ensure we are always protecting the integrity of our game.”

Unusual Betting Patterns

FanDuel is the official sportsbook of MLB. Both FanDuel and DraftKings, the nation’s largest sportsbook operators, announced they have agreed to abide by MLB’s request.

A DraftKings spokesperson said this when contacted by Casino.org: “Recent events across professional sports demonstrate that the legal, regulated sports betting industry is working as intended — promoting transparency, accountability, and protecting the integrity of sport. In collaboration with Major League Baseball, we have adjusted certain bet types to further deter bad actors while helping maintain fairness and trust in the game.”

FanDuel President Chistian Genetski said licensed sportsbook operators will continue to collaborate with sports leagues to ensure integrity when it comes to wagering on games.

ESPN reported that MLB has been in talks with authorized sportbooks partners since last summer after embarking on an investigation into unusual betting patterns involving games Ortiz was pitching in.

Ortiz appeared in federal court today in Boston, then was released on $500,000 bail.

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