Senate committee demands MLB explain gambling claims after pitchers’ indictment
The U.S. Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee has issued a letter requesting information from Major League Baseball (MLB) due to allegations of gambling corruption in the league.
This comes after prosecutors unsealed an indictment against two MLB pitchers last week, with accusations of ‘rigging pitches to make a profit.’ Similar allegations against coaches and players in the National Basketball Association (NBA) have also recently made the rounds.
Now, the chairman of the committee, Ted Cruz, and the ranking member, Maria Cantwell, have asked for details from the commissioner of Major League Baseball.
The @MLB must disclose what they knew and how they’re investigating players allegedly rigging pitches for profits.
We must protect the integrity of America’s game.https://t.co/Ep7E5gKAvP
— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) November 15, 2025
“The recent indictment alleges Cleveland Guardians players Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz purposefully threw certain pitches and told friends to place prop bets beforehand or made bets themselves,” the press release from the committee reads.
“The letter acknowledges that illegal sports betting and game rigging are not isolated incidents but an emerging issue across multiple leagues and requests information on MLB oversight and investigations into the charges.”
MLB has until December 5 to reply to probing committee questionsThis committee, which is composed of 28 senators, oversees issues ranging from communications to highways, weather, disasters, tourism, consumer issues, sports and more.
Within the letter, it states that “Major League Baseball (MLB) and American Sports generally, are facing a new integrity crisis.” It then goes on to state some of the allegations that have been made about Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, before stating that the “MLB must clearly demonstrate how it is meeting its responsibility to safeguard America’s pastime.”
A number of documents and information have been requested by the senators, with the letter stating the commissioner has until December 5 to reply. Some of the questions asked of the league include:
- “How and when was MLB made aware of suspicious betting and game manipulation activity by Emmanuel Clase or Luis Ortiz? Provide documents sufficient to support your response.
- “Provide documents sufficient to show MLB’s policies and procedures relating to sports betting, gambling, or game rigging by MLB or an affiliated team’s players, coaches, employees, or owners.
- “List any investigation into an MLB or affiliate team’s players, coaches, employees, or owners for violating MLB rules relating to sports betting, gambling, or game rigging or related criminal conduct between January 1, 2020, and the present.”
A total of six questions have been raised, with the letter stating that recent developments “warrant thorough scrutiny by Congress…”
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