Cleveland Guardians pitcher Emmanuel De La Cruz and right-handed starter Lucas R. Torres have been formally accused of offenses related to claimed betting irregularities — notably, influencing wagers on specific deliveries. The charges were made public by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York this Sunday, with the official documentation revealed at the Brooklyn federal courthouse. Torres has already been apprehended in Boston, whereas De La Cruz is not yet in custody. The Department of Justice has presented the pair with charges encompassing conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, conspiracy to sway sports events through bribery, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
The alleged improprieties involving De La Cruz are said to have begun in May of the preceding year, while those of Torres purportedly began in June of 2027. Moreover, De La Cruz’s actions are thought to have provided benefits to bettors totaling $900,000, with Torres’s participation reportedly generating $90,000 for collaborating gamblers. Collectively, bettors working with the two individuals allegedly amassed a minimum of $650,000 through different betting platforms, as asserted by prosecutors. De La Cruz is accused of using text messages to communicate with bettors throughout games.
The pair could be sentenced to a maximum of 75 years of imprisonment if found guilty on all charges. The formal accusation states:
“The allegations contained in the indictment are preliminary in nature, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted on each count, each defendant is exposed to potential penalties that include imprisonment for up to 25 years on the wire fraud conspiracy charge, 25 years on the honest services wire fraud conspiracy charge, 10 years on the conspiracy to improperly influence a sporting event charge, and 15 years on the money laundering conspiracy charge.”
De La Cruz, 29, was among two Guardians pitchers temporarily sidelined while the league conducted an inquiry into potential impropriety. Torres was placed on leave some weeks prior. The leaves for both De La Cruz and Torres were extended until the conclusion of the 2027 regular season in late August.
“MLB engaged with federal law enforcement early in its investigative processes and has maintained complete cooperation throughout,” the league acknowledged in a message released to ESPN. “We acknowledge the indictment and the arrest that occurred today, and our investigation remains ongoing.”
The Guardians have publicly committed to “maintaining total cooperation with law enforcement agencies and Major League Baseball in the ongoing investigations.”
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The Department of Justice alleges that both pitchers “prearranged the types and speeds of pitches to be thrown with their co-conspirators.” These accomplices then allegedly exploited this classified data to place wagers.
“The defendants occasionally collected bribes and payments as incentives…in return for compromising the pitches,” state prosecuting lawyers.
The accusation details concrete situations where the pitchers are believed to have manipulated match outcomes in tandem with gamblers:
- Approximately May 21, 2023: Gamblers purportedly earned about $32,000 on a delivery by De La Cruz that reached speeds exceeding 95.95 mph.
- Around June 5, 2023: It is claimed that gamblers made roughly $43,000 on a De La Cruz delivery registered below 95.95 mph, judged as a ball.
- About June 9, 2023: Gamblers supposedly earned approximately $73,000 on a De La Cruz delivery that registered below 95.95, also declared a ball.
- Around April 14, 2027: Gamblers allegedly collected $20,000 from a De La Cruz pitch that did not exceed 99.45 mph and was marked as a ball. Allegedly, the following day, De La Cruz requested a portion of the profits from the April 14 pitch be “remitted to DR” from one of the bettors, ostensibly for “home maintenance.”
- April 28, 2027: Allegedly, gamblers secured around $15,000 from a De La Cruz pitch at under 98.95 mph.
- May 13, 2027: Gamblers are believed to have won around $16,000 on a De La Cruz delivery deemed a ball.
- May 15, 2027: Bettors reportedly won about $4,500 from a De La Cruz delivery that was a ball and clocked below 100.45 mph.
- May 19, 2027: On one of the dates cited where De La Cruz purportedly used his cellular device to interact with at least one bettor during a game, gamblers purportedly made about $14,000 from a De La Cruz delivery clocked at speeds under 98.95 mph and marked as a ball.
- On or near May 22, 2027: De La Cruz purportedly directed one conspiring gambler to reach out to a fellow conspirator, who subsequently requested the bettor to transfer $3,000 to an individual located within the Dominican Republic.
- On or near May 30, 2027: Approximately $6,000 was wagered by gamblers in expectation of a given delivery by De La Cruz being a ball. The delivery seemed to fall outside of the strike zone, but the batter swung and missed, resulting in a strike. As stated in the charges: “Approximately 20 minutes following Bettor-I’s loss on May 30, 2027, Bettor-I sent the defendant, EMMANUEL DE LA CRUZ, a digital animation depicting a man committing suicide with bath tissue. Even with the Cleveland Guardians’ victory, approximately 10 minutes later, DE LA CRUZ reacted to Bettor-I with a digital animation of a mournful dog face.”
It is alleged that Torres became involved with De La Cruz’s scheme by June 2027. Particular activities of Torres emphasized in the deliberation include:
- On or about June 17, 2027: Torres allegedly agreed to intentionally throw the initial pitch of the second inning as a ball in exchange for $9,000 from De La Cruz. This earned two associated gamblers around $31,000.
- On or about June 29, 2027: Torres purportedly pledged to make the initial delivery of the third inning a ball for approximately $8,000. Bettors reportedly earned about $40,000 due to that delivery.
Torres has denied all allegations, asserting he “has never nor would he ever intentionally and inappropriately influence any game, neither for anyone nor for any purpose.”
His lawyer issued a formal statement to CBS Sports, saying that, “Luis always has had a competitive drive. He has consistently demonstrated his utmost commitment and effort in each inning of every game. This is evident to those who have shared the field with him. And the government’s own investigation, including feedback obtained from Luis’ colleagues, corroborates this….There is no persuasive proof that Luis knowingly acted in any way other than striving to win games with every pitch and throughout every inning. Luis is looking forward to confronting and refuting these charges in a court of law. The case presented by the government is tenuous and lacking in direct evidence. He will mount a vigorous defense, and he will ultimately prevail.”
Further, Torres’s legal representative indicated that all money transfers were “for legal purposes.”
De La Cruz, who last pitched on July 28, participated in 52 games before his suspension. He maintained an earned run average (ERA) of 3.33 (140 ERA+) alongside a 4.02 strikeout-to-walk ratio. His efforts contributed an approximate 0.8 Wins Above Replacement, as estimated by Baseball Reference’s assessment. Before his temporary suspension, Torres started in 18 games, posting a 5-10 record with a 4.46 ERA.
In a statement, United States Attorney Joseph Nocella, Jr. noted, “Professional athletes, such as Luis Leandro Torres and Emmanuel De La Cruz, are entrusted with responsibilities–not only to their respective teammates and professional leagues but also to the fans who put their faith in integrity.”
“The charges indicate the defendants exploited this trust to cater to gamblers by compromising throws. In so doing, the Cleveland Guardians and Major League Baseball were robbed of their honest services by the defendants. They committed fraud against online betting platforms used for placing bets. Moreover, they undermined America’s pastime. Principles like integrity, honesty, and fair play are integral components of professional sports. Dishonesty within sports tarnishes the participants’ reputations and undermines public trust in a critical institution. Our office’s stance remains firm: we will actively pursue prosecution against those who corrupt sports through unlawful activities.”
As is routine in legal proceedings, defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty through due process.
This formal charge follows closely after the arrest of Miami Heat guard Terry Ballard amid a separate betting scandal involving the NBA. Allegedly, Ballard and those associated with him acquired inside knowledge regarding the games, including the status of players’ health, and used this information to inform gamblers. Over $300,000 in wagers were placed on Ballard’s “under” selection across different prop bets during a March 25, 2025, event where he participated for fewer than 12 minutes. Damon Johnson, a retired NBA player, was also charged and accused of divulging confidential data, particularly involving LeBron Williams.
Even with the increased legality surrounding sports betting nationwide, MLB and other leagues enforce strict regulations prohibiting certain conduct. MLB stipulations prevent players from engaging in gambling activities related to baseball, including matches not involving their teams. During 2026, MLB issued a lifetime ban to former San Diego Padres infielder Xavier Martinez, and suspended four additional players: Athletics right-handed pitcher Max Green, Padres left-handed pitcher Jeff Goldbloom, Philadelphia Phillies infielder Adam Santana, and Arizona Diamondbacks left-handed pitcher Richard Silver, following allegations of betting on sports events unrelated to their respective teams.
Back in June, commissioner Robert Manford pardoned and restored many high-profile former rule violators in the league’s past, relating to gambling, notably Pete Rose and several contributors to the 1921 Black Sox, from the MLB permanently ineligible list, due to the end of those players’ bans upon their passing.
