Top News:
Jeff Passan / ESPN:
Guardians' Emmanuel Clase, Luis Ortiz indicted for pitch rigging — Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz were charged with fraud, conspiracy and bribery stemming from an alleged scheme to rig individual pitches that led to bettors winning hundreds of thousands of dollars …
RELATED:
US Department of Justice:
Two Current Major League Baseball Players Charged in Sports Betting and Money Laundering Conspiracy — For Immediate Release — U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of New York — The Defendants Allegedly Rigged Pitches with Corrupt Sports Bettors, Who Placed Fraudulent Wagers Worth Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars
Discussion:
Los Angeles Times, UPI, Yahoo Sports, Boston Herald and KUSA-TV
Zack Meisel / The Athletic:
The alleged pitch-rigging scheme of 2 MLB players: Texts, calls and the money trail — At 3:16 p.m. ET on April 26, just before he entered the game in the eighth inning, Cleveland Guardians reliever Emmanuel Clase texted an associate who was sitting in the stands at Progressive Field.
Discussion:
CNN, Defector, Covering the Corner, Sox Machine, Over the Monster, New York Post, MLB Trade Rumors and Amazin' Avenue
Adam J. Morris / Lone Star Ball:
Clase, Ortiz indicted, per report — Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz have been indicted on charges related to gambling shenanigans, according to Jeff Passan, with Ortiz having been arrested this morning. Clase has not been apprehended. — The two Cleveland Guardians pitchers …
ESPN:
Tatsuya Imai to become next Japanese pitcher to move to MLB — TOKYO — Tatsuya Imai is likely to be the next Japanese pitcher to move to a Major League team after his club, Seibu Lions, said Monday it would begin the process of making him available — a process called “posting.”
Discussion:
The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, Sports Illustrated and Sportsnet.ca
RELATED:
Jeff Passan / ESPN:
Sources: Japanese home run king Munetaka Murakami posts — Japanese star third baseman Munetaka Murakami is entering the posting system Friday, officially starting the process of one of the most anticipated free agencies of the winter, sources told ESPN. — Murakami, 25, owns …
Mark Feinsand / MLB.com:
Japanese slugger Murakami set to be posted — The countdown for Munetaka Murakami's move to the Majors is officially underway. — All 30 Major League clubs will be informed on Friday that Murakami has been posted by the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, with his official negotiating window set to open on Saturday morning at 8 a.m. ET.
Associated Press:
Power-hitting infielder Munetaka Murakami enters MLB posting system, can be signed until Dec. 22 — NEW YORK — Power-hitting Japanese corner infielder Munetaka Murakami is entering Major League Baseball's posting system and will be available to teams to sign as a free agent from Saturday through Dec. 22.
Discussion:
Yahoo Sports
Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
10 biggest MLB hot stove questions, from top free agents to latest trade rumors — They will gather this week at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas Hotel playing cards, throwing dice, talking shop and trying to con their buddies. — It's the annual Major League Baseball General Manager Meetings …
Discussion:
NESN.com
Mike Petriello / MLB.com:
Ranking all 30 MLB rosters as the offseason gets going — Where does each team start the 2025-26 offseason? It's not necessarily the exact same place where they ended the 2025 regular season (or postseason). — Even though it's only been a few days since the conclusion of a thrilling World Series …
Discussion:
NESN.com
Aaliyan Mohammed / Newsweek:
Phillies' Bryce Harper Allegedly Threatened to ‘End Up In a Ditch’ by MLB Deputy: Agent — The Philadelphia Phillies had a strong regular season, but ultimately fell short of the World Series again. The Los Angeles Dodgers' superteam ended up defeating the Phillies in the postseason on their way to another World Series win.
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com, Forbes, Lookout Landing, Bleed Cubbie Blue, New Jersey Online and The Good Phight
USA Today:
MLB free agent predictions: Where will these top players sign for 2026? — Jesse Yomtov Gabe Lacques Bob NightengaleUSA TODAY — As Major League Baseball's hot stove gets fired up for the winter of 2025-26, rumors are swirling about where the game's best free agents will be signing in the months to come
Discussion:
The Athletic and NESN.com
