Former Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase Thursday asked the Eastern District of New York for a separate trial on sports corruption charges from co-defendants Luis Ortiz, a former teammate, and Robinson Vasquez Germosen. Clase cited his constitutional rights and a perceived inability to receive a fair trial in a pitch-manipulation and sports corruption case that allegedly spanned parts of three seasons.
Ortiz’s attorneys last week filed documents with the court seeking to sever his case from Clase’s because he is accused of participating in the alleged scheme far fewer times. Per court documents, Clase is accused of manipulating pitches in up to 48 games and Ortiz is accused of doing the same in two.
Clase’s attorneys, seeking the most streamlined proceeding possible last week, filed documents supporting Ortiz. But once subsequent filings from Ortiz and federal prosecutors revealed that Ortiz’s attorneys would mount a defense that could implicate Clase, lawyers requested Clase get own trial, too.
In court documents, Clase’s attorneys contend that “a joint trial would violate Mr. Clase’s Sixth Amendment right to confront the witnesses against him and prevent the jury from making a reliable judgment on innocence or guilt. Severance is necessary to prevent substantial prejudice to Mr. Clase’s right to a fair trial.”
Clase and Ortiz are each charged with four counts: conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Vasquez and an unidentified, at-large fourth co-defendant, were charged in a superseding document on Feb. 12. Vasquez is charged with one count of wire fraud conspiracy and making false statements to law enforcement.
ClaseseverrequestExpected Ortiz defense: fastballs, high and tight
Ortiz’s defense centers around portraying the pitcher as a victim, even though he is accused of twice intentionally altering the outcome of pitches at the behest of bettors. He is expected to contend that Clase used clandestine means — such as scouting reports or casual conversations — to learn his intentions on those pitches and feed the information to gamblers, which contradicts Clase’s assertion that there was no scheme.
While federal prosecutors have argued that these defenses are not mutually exclusive, Clase’s lawyers disagreed.
From the Thursday filing: “Most importantly, Mr. Ortiz’s defense is mutually antagonistic to Mr. Clase’s claim of innocence, which will position Mr. Ortiz as a ‘second prosecutor’ against Mr. Clase.”
Clase assertion: fair trial at risk
In a heavily-redacted filing, Clase’s attorneys also call into question what they consider federal prosecutor stonewalling on the release of discovery on more alleged rigged pitches, and the text of Vasquez’s pre-indictment interview with prosecutors. Clase’s attorneys contend that Vasquez’s statements to the FBI “were testimonial and amount to an alleged confession,” which would damage Clase’s defense.
Vasquez allegedly told the FBI during a January 2026 interview that he knew Clase rigged a pitch in a May 17, 2025 game. The FBI, claiming Vasquez lied by not revealing more of the alleged scheme, charged him with providing materially false statements to law enforcement. If the FBI entered those statements in court, and if Vasquez doesn’t testify, Clase’s defense may not have a chance to cross-examine him about those statements, therefore, attorneys claim, violating Clase’s Sixth Amendment right to confront witnesses against him.
Vasquez’s addition to the indictment could also potentially delay the trial, which Clase wants to remain on May 4 because of financial interests, and a perhaps wishful assumption that he will immediately regain his reputation and livelihood in MLB with an acquittal. He and Ortiz are currently on paid leave.
From the document: “Mr. Clase’s need for prompt justice is heightened by the enormous, and perhaps unprecedented, prejudice he may suffer if his trial is delayed over his objection. Specifically, a delay could imperil Mr. Clase’s receipt of the approximately $6.4 million he is contractually owed in 2026 and the tens of millions more he would receive under a new contract reflecting his fair market value as one of baseball’s most dominant athletes.”
