“Innocent of the charges related to two pitches" - Luis Ortiz’s attorney defends pitcher after gambling indictment

Cleveland Guardians star Luis Ortiz is among the two players being indicted by federal prosecutors for manipulating specific in-game pitches for the benefit of the bettors.

According to AP News, the prosecutors have mentioned two games on June 15 and June 27, where pitches were allegedly thrown in a way that favored the bettors. Because of this, Ortiz has been charged with wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery, and money-laundering conspiracy.

However, Ortiz's attorney, Chris Georgalis, has denied allegations made against his client. The attorney said:

"Luis Ortiz is innocent of the charges related to two pitches he threw. He has never, and would never, improperly influence a game, not for anyone and not for anything. Luis is and always has been a fierce competitor. He has always given his best effort in every inning of every game. Those who have played with him know this. And the government’s investigation, including discussions with Luis’ teammates, supports this as well."

Georgalis also commented about the payments Ortiz has received, which the prosecutors are alleging were the benefit of fixing pitches.

"As Luis’ defense team extensively explained and documented to the government before these charges were brought, Luis’ payments and other transfers of money between him and individuals in the Dominican Republic were for lawful activities," the attorney said. "Notably, the indictment completely lacks any alleged evidence connecting Luis to these alleged bettors or demonstrating any purposeful involvement in a scheme."

Talking about the merit of the case, Georgalis added:

"There is no credible evidence Luis knowingly did anything other than try to win games, with every pitch and in every inning. Luis looks forward to fighting these charges in court. The government’s case is weak and circumstantial. He will defend himself, and he will be prevail."

Luis Ortiz to appear in court for arraignment

Luis Ortiz will appear in court on Monday in Boston following his arrest, and will later be formally arraigned in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York.

Apart from Ortiz, his teammate Emmanuel Clase is also accused of more or less similar things, including fixing pitches to benefit bettors.

During this federal investigation, Ortiz has been placed on non-disciplinary paid leave by the Guardians. The franchise has also released a statement regarding the ongoing federal investigation:

"We are aware of the recent law enforcement action. We will continue to fully cooperate with both law enforcement and Major League Baseball as their investigations continue."

It remains to be seen whether Ortiz is found guilty, which would then result in prison time and severe consequences for his career.