Congressmen Demand Answers from MLB Over Gambling Scandal
A group of congressmen has expressed their concern about a “new integrity crisis” in American sports, sending a letter to the commissioner of Major League Baseball (MLB), Rob Manfred. The letter requests explanations about the alleged betting scheme involving two pitchers from the Cleveland Guardians. The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, responsible for overseeing professional sports, called the accusations against Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz “markedly more serious” than other recent incidents related to betting in baseball. Federal prosecutors accused Clase and Ortiz of fixing individual pitches in several games to benefit associates in betting.Senators Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell, committee leaders, questioned why the alleged Class actions, which began in May 2023, were not discovered for two years. They compared this case to that of former Major League player Tucupita Marcano, who was suspended in 2024 for betting on baseball. In the letter, the congressmen emphasized the importance of the integrity of the game and MLB’s responsibility to protect the sport from any manipulation. They requested detailed information on when and how MLB learned of the alleged activities of Clase and Ortiz, as well as documentation on the league’s betting policies and details of other betting-related investigations since January 1, 2020. The committee has requested this information by December 5.How did MLB detect Marcano and suspend him for life, but not notice that Clase was allegedly doctoring pitches for two years?
Letter from the congressmen
On Monday, MLB announced that its sports betting partners had agreed to set a $200 limit on all bets involving individual pitches and to prohibit such bets from being included in parlays. These measures seek to reduce the incentive for manipulation by decreasing the amount that can be won with pitch-level bets.
The same committee sent a letter to the NBA in October, requesting information about the league’s handling in relation to the alleged gambling scandal involving Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups, former player and coach Damon Jones, and veteran Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier. The committee also noted that the appearance of manipulation in multiple leagues suggests a systemic vulnerability that requires a thorough investigation before the behavioral issues become widespread.
