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Government witness says Shohei Ohtani scandal dried up inside betting info on Emmanuel Clase’s pitches
A witness in the federal trial of Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz testified that he won thousands of dollars betting on Clase’s pitch speeds in 2023, using tips from an associate of Clase. He said the tips stopped the following season amid scrutiny surrounding Shohei Ohtani’s gambling case, adding a new detail to prosecutors’ allegations of a scheme to rig pitches.
Luis de Aza Baez said he placed dozens of bets and “almost always” won when tips came through a group chat of Massachusetts Uber drivers; he said he received information from Enoc Pena, not directly from Clase. Prosecutors allege Clase rigged 18 pitches over three seasons, and that bettors won $400,000 on his pitches. Clase and Ortiz have pleaded not guilty; de Aza Baez agreed to forfeit $69,000 in winnings in exchange for the wire fraud charge being dropped.
In short
- Witness says tips helped him win bets on Clase’s pitch speeds.
- He says the information stopped during scrutiny of Ohtani’s case.
- Clase and Ortiz deny the charges; bettors allegedly won $400,000.