Government witness says Shohei Ohtani scandal dried up inside betting info on Emmanuel Clase's pitches

Luis de Aza Baez admitted to placing dozens of bets, and winning thousands, by wagering on the speed Clase’s pitch came across home plate during the 2023 MLB season.He said he placed the bets "because I had inside information," per ESPN.Clase has been accused of rigging 18 pitches across three seasons in conspiracy with bettors.CLICK HERE FOR MORE OUTKICK SPORTS COVERAGECleveland Guardians pitcher Emmanuel Clase during a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants in San Francisco, June 17, 2025.

(AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, file)However, de Aza Baez also noted that when he asked about Clase’s pitches the following season, there was a hiccup."What was going on with [Shohei] Ohtani, there was no more information like that," de Aza Baez said in his testimony.In March 2024, Ohtani wasn’t facing accusations like Clase and Ortiz, but he faced scrutiny after millions had been sent from his bank account to an illegal bookmaking operation.But Ippei Mizuhara, his longtime interpreter, pleaded guilty to stealing almost $17 million from Ohtani to pay off gambling debts.MLB CATCHER WHO WAS BEHIND PLATE FOR ALLEGED RIGGED PITCHES TESTIFIES IN GUARDIANS PITCHERS' GAMBLING CASEMizuhara is currently in prison, while Ohtani was cleared of any wrongdoing in the case.De Aza Baez was working as an Uber driver at the time, and he had a group chat called "Uber Inc.," where Enoc Pena, an associate of Clase, would send tips in 2023, according to his testimony.

Pena was the one who started the chat with the men who worked for Uber in the Massachusetts area.Prosecutors showed a text message screenshot Clase allegedly had sent to Pena on Sept.30, 2023, when the Cleveland Guardians were set to face the Detroit Tigers.

Clase and Pena spoke about "killing the first two chickens," which was code to bet on a pitch against the third batter, granted Clase came in the game and got the first two outs.He never entered the contest in the 8-0 Detroit victory.Clase’s defense team argued the text me...