Shohei Ohtani halted MLB betting tips after his interpreter’s scandal, according to court testimony in Brooklyn federal court.
Luis de Aza Baez, a cooperating witness in a federal wire fraud trial, told jurors that requests for insider information regarding Emmanuel Clase’s pitches stopped abruptly following the multi-million-dollar theft case involving Ippei Mizuhara, Yahoo Sports reported.
Clase, a 28-year-old Cleveland pitcher, and 27-year-old former teammate Luis Ortiz face federal charges including wire fraud conspiracy and sports bribery. Prosecutors allege the pitchers took bribes to fix specific pitches, netting bettors at least $460,000 across 18 manipulated pitches from Clase and two from Ortiz.
Federal prosecutors said that Clase and Ortiz received payments of several thousand dollars while bettors in the Dominican Republic collected the larger financial gains. Both players have pleaded not guilty to all counts, remain free on bond, and were placed on unpaid leave without disciplinary background.
De Aza Baez Testified About Insider Tips and Betting via Group Chat
De Aza Baez testified that he operated as a courier for insider tips transmitted through a group chat named “Uber Inc.” He said that his contact refused his 2024 requests for fresh information on Clase’s delivery velocity and outcomes by citing the fallout surrounding Ohtani.
To bypass betting restrictions, de Aza Baez opened a DraftKings account under his wife’s name. Under a cooperation agreement that dropped wire fraud charges against him, he agreed to forfeit $69,000 in betting winnings.
The trial began on Monday, November 2, before U.S. District Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto in Brooklyn federal court. Prosecutors presented records showing tips originated not directly from Clase, but through his associate Enoc Pena.
Catcher Testimony on Unnoticed Deliveries
Bo Naylor testified as a defense witness on Thursday, November 5. The former Cleveland catcher, now playing for the Milwaukee Brewers, caught seven of the 18 pitches that prosecutors flagged during games played between May 19, 2023, and May 28, 2025.
“Davor wusste ich das nicht. Ich wusste das erst durch diese Situation,” Naylor told ABC News regarding his lack of familiarity with the prop-bet market before the investigation. He told the courtroom that he noticed nothing unusual about Clase’s mechanics during those games, describing the pitcher as having his pitches “pretty well under control.”
Contract Status and Remaining Timeline
At the time of the indictment, Clase was playing in the fourth year of a five-year, $20 million contract. Ortiz earned $782,600 during the 2025 Major League Baseball season.
Defense attorneys suggested to the court that Clase focused his personal interests on cockfighting and dominoes rather than sports betting operations. Judge Matsumoto informed the jury that proceedings are scheduled to run until December 3.
