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Emmanuel Clase, Luis Ortiz Indicted On Gambling Charges

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November 11: Ken Rosenthal and Zack Meisel of The Athletic report that MLB is hopeful of imposing discipline by the beginning of Spring Training. The pitchers remain on paid administrative leave, though obviously they’re not collecting salary during the offseason. If there’s no change to their status by the time games resume, the Guardians would need to continue paying them until discipline is formally imposed.

That doesn’t matter much for the Guardians with Ortiz, who had yet to reach arbitration. Clase had been slated to earn $6MM next year, though, and the Guardians would prefer not to pay that if the pitcher is unavailable. A suspension would get them off the hook for that money. Players found to have bet on games in which their team has been involved are given a lifetime ban. Attorneys for Clase and Ortiz released statements denying their involvement in the wake of the criminal charges.

November 9: Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz have been indicted by prosecutors in Brooklyn on charges involving sports betting, reports Jeff Passan of ESPN, among others. Ortiz was arrested earlier today. Clase is not currently in custody.

Clase and Ortiz are charged with “wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery, and money laundering conspiracy, for their alleged roles in a scheme to rig bets on pitches thrown” according to the Department of Justice, relayed by Zack Meisel of The Athletic. The indictment details an alleged scheme that involves the pitchers purposely throwing balls so gamblers could bet on pitches being balls or strikes.

The allegations from prosecutors in the indictment include a specific incident on June 15, when Ortiz was paid $5K for throwing an intentional ball, and Clase received $5K for facilitating it. Co-conspirators won at least $400K on fraudulent wagers relating to Clase and at least $60K on fraudulent wagers relating to Ortiz, prosecutors allege in the indictment. (Meisel explored some of the incidents detailed in the indictment in a longer piece for The Athletic.) Clase and Ortiz face up to 65 years in prison if convicted on all charges.

“MLB contacted federal law enforcement at the outset of its investigation and has fully cooperated throughout the process. We are aware of the indictment and today’s arrest, and our investigation is ongoing,” the league said in a statement to ESPN.

Ortiz was placed on non-disciplinary paid leave in early July, and Clase followed later in the month. The pitchers had their absences extended “until further notice” at the end of August as the league continued its gambling investigation.

Photo courtesy of David Richard, Imagn Images

Poll: Which Team Will Sign Munetaka Murakami?

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A big bat joined the free agent market last week when the Yakult Swallows of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball posted Munetaka Murakami for MLB clubs. The 25-year-old bashed 246 home runs in eight NPB seasons, including a single-season record 56 in 2022. Murakami is behind only Kyle Tucker and Bo Bichette among hitters in our Top 50 Free Agents list.

Murakami isn’t without flaws, as contact and defense are question marks. The slugger has posted strikeout rates above 28% in each of the past three seasons. Murakami would be strikeout-prone if he did that in the big leagues, but in the typically lower-strikeout NPB, it’s a bit alarming. Third base has been Murakami’s home in recent years, but he might not stick at the position long-term. Scouts grade him as a middling defender who might be better suited for first base or DH.

Even with some red flags, there’s an expectation that Murakami is going to garner offers well into the nine figures. MLBTR predicted an eight-year, $180MM pact. So who will take the plunge? Here’s a look at some of the options:

Dodgers

Any time a notable free agent is discussed, the free-spending Dodgers will be in the conversation. That’s especially true when the player in question is coming over from Japan, as Los Angeles already boasts Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Roki Sasaki. The fit, however, is less than ideal. The Dodgers have Ohtani plugged into the DH spot on a daily basis. Freddie Freeman will hold down first base through 2027. The Dodgers picked up Max Muncy’s club option and will have him at third base again next year, barring a trade. Murakami did make a start in the outfield this past season, so maybe that would be an avenue for the Dodgers to make it work, but it’d be surprising to see him signed and plugged into the outfield on a full-time basis.

Mets

We know Steve Cohen has no problem opening up the checkbook. The Mets are a fairly straightforward fit if they choose not to re-sign Pete Alonso, who opted out last week. The team has Mark Vientos and Brett Baty penciled in at the corners right now, though neither has run away with past opportunities. Ronny Mauricio will also factor into that mix. The Mets don’t have a firm option at DH either, so there’s room to add a hitter with Murakami’s profile. President of baseball operations David Stearns was spotted scouting Murakami in person this year (though several other high-profile executives did the same, so he’s hardly unique in that regard).

Yankees

The Yankees seem more likely to add on the pitching side, but they can never be ruled out in these types of free agent scenarios. Like the Dodgers, the fit for New York isn’t seamless. Ben Rice put together a breakout 2025 campaign and should be a fixture at first base, though he also made some starts at catcher last season. Ryan McMahon was acquired midseason to sure up the third base spot. Giancarlo Stanton is planted at DH. George Lombard Jr. could factor into the infield calculus soon. As with the Dodgers, the Yankees could try to make room for Murakami with a trade (e.g. McMahon, Rice), but this isn’t a clean fit as the roster is currently constructed.

Red Sox

Boston is a decent fit, especially after Alex Bregman opted out. Nathaniel Lowe is likely to be non-tendered. Masataka Yoshida, frequently manning the DH spot, has been a subject of trade speculation for the past year. Triston Casas is returning from a significant knee injury. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow didn’t exactly hand Casas the job when he gets back. “I don’t think it makes a ton of sense on October 6 to say someone is or isn’t our first baseman. We’ll see how things play out,” Breslow told reporters shortly after the season ended. A small move or two could free up space for Murakami at DH or a corner infield spot.

Cubs

The Cubs got a strong season from first baseman Michael Busch and have Matt Shaw holding down third base, though DH reps could be available depending on the plan for Moises Ballesteros. And it’s not like Shaw staked his claim to the hot corner permanently, with a .669 OPS in his rookie campaign. The Cubs are known to be in the market for rotation and bullpen help this winter, but they’ve won high-profile bidding on Seiya Suzuki and Shota Imanaga in recent offseasons.

Blue Jays

The Jays are typically at least in the mix for every prominent free agent in a given offseason these days. They haven’t reeled in many of the highest-profile names they’ve pursued in recent offseasons, but they’re coming off a run to Game 7 of the World Series. That gives them some extra financial resources and also makes a compelling selling point to free agents who want to be sure they’re joining a contender. Toronto has Vladimir Guerrero Jr. installed at first base. George Springer will likely get the bulk of the DH reps in 2026 but is a free agent next offseason. Murakami could split time between third base, first base and DH in ’26, with Addison Barger playing right field on days he’s at the hot corner and Guerrero getting a DH breather on days when Murakami is at first base.

Padres

The Padres regularly find themselves in the bidding for star players — both established MLB names and high-profile talents making the jump from overseas. They’ve got Gavin Sheets likely to hold down first base or designated hitter but lack a clear option otherwise. The Padres have been scaling back payroll in recent years, which makes this a tougher fit, but president of baseball operations A.J. Preller could always find a creative means of opening some financial wiggle room on the trade market.

Angels

The Angels have no real answer at third base, where Anthony Rendon is finally entering the final season of his contract. Yoan Moncada and Luis Rengifo are free agents. First baseman Nolan Schanuel has held his own but hasn’t been an impact hitter. The DH spot is clogged up thanks to the glut of corner outfielders on the roster (Mike Trout, Jo Adell, Taylor Ward, Jorge Soler), but the Halos could feasibly deal one of Ward or Adell. This would be the biggest swing they’ve taken in free agency since signing Rendon to his ill-fated deal, but there’s a fit and Trout is only real long-term commitment left on the books. Only Trout and Yusei Kikuchi are signed beyond 2026 (and only Trout is signed beyond ’27).

The field

Given Murakami’s rare blend of youth, power and overseas track record, we could see a dark horse candidate emerge for his services. In terms of production, the Nationals, Cubs, Reds and Pirates ranked bottom four in OPS at third base, while the White Sox, Rockies, Marlins and Giants brought up the rear at first base. San Francisco made a splash in the international market recently, landing Jung Hoo Lee on a six-year, $113MM deal ahead of the 2024 season. It’s just hard to see where Murakami would play, assuming Bryce Eldridge has a significant role next season. It’s also possible a smaller-market team could step up and pursues Murakami as a potential face of the franchise.

Where do MLBTR readers think Murakami will land this offseason? Cast your vote in the poll below:

The Opener: Rookie Of The Year, NPB Postings, Clase/Ortiz Indicted

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Here are a few things to monitor around the baseball world heading into this week:

1. Rookie of the Year awards announced tonight

It’s awards week! The league’s top honors will be handed out each day, starting with Rookie of the Year tonight and concluding with Most Valuable Player on Thursday. The ROY finalists on the American League side are first baseman Nick Kurtz of the Athletics, shortstop Jacob Wilson, also of the Athletics, and outfielder Roman Anthony of the Red Sox. Catcher Drake Baldwin of the Braves leads the way on the National League side, followed by Cade Horton of the Cubs and Caleb Durbin of the Brewers. Kurtz and his 36 home runs are considered the favorite for the AL. Baldwin, who slashed .274/.341/.469 as Atlanta’s primary backstop, is considered the favorite in the NL. The winners will be announced on MLB Network at 6 pm CT.

2. Big Japanese stars headed to the big leagues

A pair of NPB heavyweights are making the jump to MLB. The Yakult Swallows officially posted third baseman Munetaka Murakami on Friday. The 25-year-old has been one of the top power hitters in Japan over the past seven seasons. Murakami hit a single-season record 56 home runs in 2022. Contact has been an issue at times, and it’s unclear whether he’ll stick at third base, but Murakami immediately becomes one of the top bats on the market. The Saitama Seibu Lions announced they have accepted right-hander Tatsuya Imai’s request to be posted. The 27-year-old has a fastball approaching triple digits and a plus slider. Imai posted a 3.15 ERA over 963 2/3 innings across eight NPB seasons. He earned three All-Star selections. Imai will join Dylan Cease and Framber Valdez as one of the top starters on the market. Murakami, and Imai once officially posted, will have 45 days to work out a contract with an MLB team.

3. Cleveland pitchers indicted on gambling charges

It had been a couple of months since we had an update on the sports betting investigation regarding Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz. The big news dropped on Sunday, as Clase and Ortiz were indicted by prosecutors on charges including “wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery, and money laundering conspiracy, for their alleged roles in a scheme to rig bets on pitches thrown.” The alleged scheme involved Clase and Ortiz purposely throwing balls so gamblers could bet on pitches being balls or strikes, per the indictment. The pitchers face up to 65 years in prison if convicted on all charges.

Photo courtesy of Charles LeClaire, Imagn Images.

White Sox Notes: Free Agency, Hitting Coaches, Young Bats

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The White Sox lost 100+ games for the third straight season in 2025. Their 60 wins were the fewest in the American League. The club has multiple areas for improvement, but is unlikely to address those needs via lengthy free agent deals, general manager Chris Getz told reporters this week, including Scott Merkin of MLB.com. “Free agency is an avenue to bring in players to help in the win total,” Getz said. “But to go beyond this upcoming season I think would be a little premature considering the state of our club right now and the development of these young players.”

Chicago wasn’t expected to be a major player in free agency, and Getz’s comments confirm the club will continue to get by with veterans on short deals around their young players. In two offseasons at the helm, Getz has only handed out one multi-year deal, inking Erick Fedde to a two-year, $15MM pact in 2024. Getz’s largest investment this past offseason was a one-year, $5M deal to Martin Perez. The contract included a $10MM mutual option for 2026, which Perez declined. Getz will need to replace Perez and fellow journeymen Adrian Houser and Aaron Civale, who all made double-digit starts with Chicago this past year. If Chicago goes the free agent route, reinforcements will likely be of the one-year variety.

“More than anything we want to strengthen our coaching staff, improve our processes within the front office and go out there and try to win as many games as we can next year,” Getz said. “That’s something we can control, and then in the future years, when we are approaching that ’27 season, we’ll adjust and put together the best club for the future that we can after the ’26 season.”

Getz has already made headway regarding the coaching staff. The White Sox announced this week that Derek Shomon will take over as hitting coach, and Sherman Johnson Jr. will join the organization as minor league hitting coordinator.

Chicago had the third-lowest OPS and the fourth-lowest wRC+ as a team last season, but did get promising contributions from some young hitters. Top prospect Colson Montgomery debuted in July and delivered strong power numbers, belting 21 home runs in just 71 games. The Garrett Crochet trade paid immediate dividends, as Kyle Teel posted a 125 wRC+ and Chase Meidroth offered decent production at the top of the order with a .329 OBP. The White Sox were even able to get a league-average season from Miguel Vargas. The former top prospect came over in 2024 as part of the Michael Kopech trade. He struggled to close that season, but bounced back with a respectable .234/.316/.401 in his first full year with the team.

Photo courtesy of Kamil Krzaczynski, Imagn Images

Pirates To Sign Joe La Sorsa

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The Pirates are expected to sign left-hander Joe La Sorsa, reports Jon Morosi of MLB Network. It’s a minor league deal with an invite to MLB Spring Training.

La Sorsa has pitched in parts of three MLB seasons with three different teams. He debuted with the Rays in 2023. La Sorsa was most recently with Cincinnati. He made five appearances with the Reds last season.

Tampa Bay drafted La Sorsa in 2019. He tossed 36 1/3 innings at Low-A that same year. La Sorsa delivered a 3.60 ERA across 31 appearances in 2021, striking out nearly a batter per inning. He took a step forward the following season, with an elite 36.3% strikeout rate leading to a Double-A promotion. Minor leaguers hit just .191 against La Sorsa in 2022. He posted a 2.33 ERA across a career-high 73 1/3 innings.

La Sorsa was designated for assignment after just two games with the Rays in 2023. He was quickly scooped up by the Nationals via waiver claim. La Sorsa logged 23 appearances out of Washington’s bullpen that season. He limited walks and kept the ball in the yard, but finished with a 4.76 ERA. After a half-season with Triple-A Rochester, La Sorsa was back with the Nationals in August of 2024. He delivered similarly tepid results and was released in the offseason.

Cincinnati had La Sorsa traveling back and forth from Triple-A Louisville to Great American Ball Park all summer. He was recalled to the big-league club on four separate occasions, including three times in June. La Sorsa was knocked around for eight earned runs in 6 2/3 innings with the Reds. He allowed four home runs in his five outings with the team.

Brewers Release Tucker Davidson

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The Brewers have moved on from left-hander Tucker Davidson. He was released at the end of the season, as noted by Baseball America’s Matt Eddy in a breakdown of minor league transactions. The 29-year-old had latched on with Milwaukee in August. He made six appearances for Triple-A Nashville prior to his departure.

Davidson had one of his most successful professional seasons in 2025. He headed overseas to pitch for the KBO’s Lotte Giants and delivered 22 starts with a 3.65 ERA. Davdison struck out just under a batter per inning and won 10 games with the Giants. He was waived in August when the team brought in Vince Velasquez. Davidson was unable to continue his solid season upon joining the Sounds. He posted a 4.68 ERA across six starts. Triple-A bats hit .277 against Davidson over 25 innings.

Atlanta took Davidson in the 19th round of the 2016 draft. He cruised through the minors, reaching Triple-A by 2019. Davidson put up a pristine 2.15 ERA across 25 starts between Double-A and Triple-A that season. He wasn’t missing a ton of bats, but he piled up ground balls at a high rate.

The strong year earned Davidson an MLB look in 2020, though just for one appearance. He made seven starts for the Braves from 2021 to 2022, before heading to the Angels in the Raisel Iglesias trade. Davidson was moved to relief in 2023, making 37 appearances out of the bullpen for the Angels and Royals. He also made a start with Kansas City, who acquired him in an August trade after the Angels designated him for assignment. Davidson has a 5.76 ERA across 129 2/3 big-league innings.

Photo courtesy Denny Medley, Imagn Images.

Padres Coaching Notes: Niebla, Fritz, Bench Coach

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San Diego landed on Craig Stammen as its new manager this week. The 41-year-old doesn’t have any prior coaching experience, but he’ll be able to lean on a familiar face for at least a couple of seasons. Dennis Lin of The Athletic reported that pitching coach Ruben Niebla has two years left on his contract. Lin also noted that Niebla was the other finalist for the skipper job.

Niebla has been the Padres’ pitching coach since 2022. Stammen was actually a member of Niebla’s first pitching staff. The pair crossed paths in the right-hander’s final season in the league. Niebla was one of three known finalists for the managerial position, along with Albert Pujols and Nick Hundley. Shortly after news broke of Stammen’s hiring, Alden González of ESPN reported that Niebla was expected to remain on the staff.

The revelation that Niebla is under contract for the next two seasons provides further confirmation that he’ll be around to help the inexperienced Stammen. He isn’t the only holdover that will be on the staff beyond 2026, either. Lin noted that while teams had expressed interest in bullpen coach Ben Fritz, he recently received a new multi-year deal. He has been on San Diego’s staff since 2020.

Retaining Fritz gives Stammen another former coach in his corner. Fritz was the bullpen coach for Stammen’s final three seasons in San Diego. He also briefly served as pitching coach, taking over for the fired Larry Rothschild to close the 2021 season, before returning to his bullpen coach role. Fritz has been in the organization since 2015.

Stammen will also have to deal with some departures. Hitting coach Victor Rodriguez is expected to go to the Astros. He’d served in the role with San Diego for the past two seasons. Third base coach Tim Leiper is expected to take the same position with the Mets. Leiper had also been in the position for the past two years.

The personnel on the roster may factor into future hiring decisions, as Lin noted that “some around the team believe the Padres need to add a coach who can naturally connect with Machado, Tatis and other Latin American players in the clubhouse.” Lin added that bringing on a bench coach who’s managed at the MLB level would also be valuable.

Image courtesy of David Frerker, Imagn Images.

Francona: Not Expecting A Hunter Greene Trade

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Manager Terry Francona is the latest member of Cincinnati’s organization to downplay the possibility of trading starting pitching. Francona said on the Baseball Isn’t Boring podcast that he wasn’t anticipating a Hunter Greene trade. “I don’t think those things are gonna (happen)…pitching is too hard for us to acquire through free agency…we gotta keep Hunter on the mound,” Francona said in a clip relayed by Chatterbox Sports.

President of baseball operations Nick Krall offered a similar sentiment last month, downplaying the idea that the Reds would move players on the pitching side. Led by Greene, Cincinnati’s starters ranked sixth in the National League in ERA and third in strikeouts. Only the Phillies, Diamondbacks, and Braves got more innings from their starting pitchers.

Greene battled a groin injury multiple times last season, but he was dominant when healthy. He set career-best marks in xFIP (3.27) and SIERA (3.06) while throwing harder than ever before. Greene’s heater averaged 99.5 mph in 2025, a 1.9 mph jump from 2024. Among pitchers who threw at least 100 innings, Greene ranked fourth in swinging-strike rate and sixth in K-BB%.

The most notable development for Greene last season was how often he was in the strike zone. He posted a strong 68.6% strike rate and a career-low 6.2% walk rate. Greene had never recorded a season with a strike rate above 65% or a walk rate below 9%. The improved command helped him maintain a lower pitch count and work deeper into games. He notched quality starts in 11 of 19 outings. Greene had 13 quality starts in 2024, but it took him 26 appearances to get there.

If the Reds were to put Greene on the market, he would certainly fetch a handsome return. The 27-year-old signed a six-year, $53MM extension in 2023. The deal includes a $21MM team option for 2029. Greene’s annual salary will rise in each of the next three seasons, but it’ll still be plenty affordable in the final year of the deal, even if the Reds (or another club) decline the team option.

Cincinnati has a stable of controllable starters beyond Greene. Andrew Abbott and Chase Burns have yet to reach arbitration. Nick Lodolo won’t hit free agency until 2028. Youngsters Rhett Lowder and Julian Aguiar only have a year of MLB service time apiece. Brady Singer is the only mainstay nearing free agency, as he’s in his final year of arbitration. The Reds can keep the majority of this group together for the foreseeable future if they want to.

Photo courtesy of Jayne Kamin-Oncea, Imagn Images.

Padres Release Wes Benjamin

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The Padres released left-hander Wes Benjamin earlier this week, as pointed out by Baseball America’s Matt Eddy in a review of minor league moves. He joined the organization in February on a minor league deal with a non-roster invite to MLB Spring Training. Benjamin spent his 2025 campaign with Triple-A El Paso.

Texas took Benjamin in the fifth round of the 2014 draft. He posted solid results as he moved through the Rangers’ system, recording a sub-4.00 ERA in each of his first four seasons. Benjamin reached Triple-A in 2019. He struggled to a 5.52 ERA, but set career highs in starts (25) and innings (135 1/3).

Benjamin debuted with the Rangers in the shortened 2020 season. He scuffled to a 4.84 ERA over eight appearances, though his xERA was more than a run lower. Benjamin got another look with the big-league club in 2021, but was blasted for 22 earned runs in 22 2/3 innings. He elected minor league free agency at the end of the season.

After a brief stint in the White Sox system, Benjamin would head abroad. He joined the KT Wiz of the KBO partway through the 2022 season. Benjamin produced solid results over three years with the Wiz, including a 15-win season in 2023. He wrapped up his time in Korea with a respectable 3.74 ERA over 406 innings.

Benjamin had an ugly 6.42 ERA with the Chihuahuas this past season. His xERA and xFIP were both above 5.50. He also lost time to injury.

Photo courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas, Imagn Images.

Nationals’ Mike DeBartolo To Serve In Assistant GM Role

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The Nationals parted ways with multiple front office members after bringing in new president of baseball operations Paul Toboni, but Mike DeBartolo was reportedly staying in the organization. Toboni revealed DeBartolo’s new position to reporters earlier this week, including Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports. DeBartolo will be senior vice president and assistant GM, handling baseball operations.

Washington fired longtime president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo in July. DeBartolo was moved from his senior vice president position to interim general manager following Rizzo’s departure. It was reported that assistant general managers Eddie Longosz and Mark Scialabba would not be back next season, but that DeBartolo would be retained.

Washington hired DeBartolo as an intern in 2012. He worked his way up to an assistant GM position ahead of the 2019 season, which ended with the club winning a championship. DeBartolo was named vice president in 2021. The senior tag was added to his job title ahead of the 2024 season.

DeBartolo may be part of the previous regime, but being in his early 40s, he fits into the youth movement taking place in the organization’s top positions. Toboni is just 35 years old. He tabbed 33-year-old Blake Butera as the club’s next manager. Washington has the youngest front office leader and the youngest manager in the league.

Toboni and DeBartolo are joined in the front office by new additions Justin Horowitz and Devin Pearson. Both hires will be in assistant GM roles. Toboni told reporters that Horowitz will oversee player acquisitions, and Pearson will oversee player development. Horowitz was most recently the Pirates’ director of amateur scouting. Pearson had been Boston’s director of amateur scouting, succeeding Toboni himself in the role beginning in 2023.

 

Photo courtesy Darren Yamashita, Imagn Images. 

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