Guardians’ Luis Ortiz pleads innocence via attorney after indictment
The Cleveland Guardians secured the AL Central title with a strong September run, despite facing significant challenges on the mound. Two key pitchers, starting pitcher Luis Ortiz and closer Emmanuel Clase, were placed on leave amid a gambling investigation.
On Sunday, both Ortiz and Clase were indicted. Ortiz was arrested for allegedly rigging individual pitches on multiple occasions. This shocking development has cast a shadow over the Guardians’ success as the team navigates the fallout.
Luis Ortiz’s lawyer, Chris Georgalis, issued a statement to ESPN’s Jeff Passan addressing the charges. “Luis Ortiz is innocent of the charges related to two pitches he threw,” the statement reads. “He has never, and would never, improperly influence a game—not for anyone or anything.”
The statement continued: “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 lawful activities. Notably, the indictment completely lacks any alleged evidence connecting Luis to these alleged bettors or demonstrating any purposeful involvement in a scheme.”
Georgalis concluded emphatically: “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 prevail.”
Ortiz, who spent the first three years of his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates, was traded to the Guardians last offseason. In his only year in Cleveland, he made 16 starts and posted a 4.36 ERA. However, this scandal has overshadowed his season ever since it surfaced in July.
According to the indictment details, Ortiz allegedly received $5,000 for intentionally throwing a ball on purpose, and then an additional $7,000 for repeating the offense. Both Ortiz and Clase now face up to 65 years in prison if convicted on all charges.
The Guardians had to navigate the final stretch of the season without their two key pitchers and may now face the challenge of replacing them in free agency. The team and fans alike will be watching closely as this legal battle unfolds.
https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/cleveland-guardians/guardians-news-luis-ortiz-innocence-attorney-indictment
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