Pitcher Luis Ortiz Pleads Not Guilty To Taking Bribes

NEW YORK (AP) — Cleveland Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz has pleaded not guilty to charges he took bribes to help gamblers win bets placed on pitches he threw. His teammate, Guardians former closer Emmanuel Clase, has also been charged in the alleged scheme. Ortiz appeared Wednesday in Brooklyn federal court, Clase, the Guardian’s former closer, will be arraigned at the same courthouse Thursday. The two natives of the Dominican Republic have been on paid leave since July, when Major League Baseball began investigating what it said was unusually high in-game betting activity when they pitched. Following the indictments, the league announced new limits on betting on individual pitches.