Dominican pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Leandro Ortiz, of the Cleveland Guardians, now have a date to face trial in the United States. Both baseball players will go to trial in May 2026, accused of participating in illegal betting linked to Major League Baseball games and conspiring to launder money, a federal court in New York ruled Tuesday after a brief but decisive hearing. Judge Kiyo Matsumoto, presiding over the case, sets the trial to begin May 4 with jury selection. According to prosecutor Sean Sherman, the trial could last two weeks, an estimate included in a statement released by the US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York, based in Brooklyn. The court also scheduled a new pretrial hearing for January 15 at noon. Both Clase, 27, and Ortiz, 26, appeared in court accompanied by their defense attorneys. Both remain free on bail and on paid leave since pleading not guilty last month to the charges against them.

The charges against the pitchers

US authorities maintain, according to preliminary investigations, that the two players provided bettors with advance information about the pitches they would throw in certain games. They are also accused of intentionally throwing balls instead of strikes to ensure that certain bets would be successful, a practice that, if proven, would represent serious manipulation of the outcome of games.

The main charges against both players carry a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison if they are convicted, making this one of the most serious cases linked to betting in American professional sports in recent years.

Despite the seriousness of the charges, neither Clase nor Ortiz have made any public statements after the hearing. For now, his defense is focused on preparing for trial. While MLB remains attentive to the legal proceedings to determine any potential disciplinary sanctions once the legal process is concluded.