Overview
- Commerce Committee leaders Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell sent a formal letter to Commissioner Rob Manfred seeking records tied to alleged game manipulation by Cleveland pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz.
- The request sets a Dec. 5 deadline and asks how and when MLB learned of suspicious activity, outlines for betting policies, investigations since 2020, and communications with sportsbooks and integrity monitors.
- Prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York have unsealed an indictment alleging the pitchers rigged pitch outcomes for prop bets; both pleaded not guilty and are due back in court Dec. 2.
- MLB has said it alerted federal authorities at the outset of its probe and continues investigating; Ortiz was placed on paid non‑disciplinary leave July 3, with Clase added to the inquiry later that month.
- After the indictment, MLB’s authorized operators agreed to cap pitch‑level wagers at $200 and exclude those props from parlays, as lawmakers scrutinize betting integrity across multiple leagues including the NBA.