Boras Urges MLB Ban on Prop Bets to Protect Integrity

The controversy swirling around the Cleveland Guardians has sparked one of the most heated debates in baseball this offseason.

After federal charges against pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz for allegedly manipulating pitches to benefit gamblers, super-agent Scott Boras jumped into the fray. He’s now calling for the complete removal of baseball prop bets.

MLB quickly put new restrictions in place, and state officials are considering more action. The issue exposes tough questions about sports integrity, player protection, and the growing influence of betting in professional athletics.

The Scandal That Rocked the Guardians

Federal prosecutors dropped a bombshell, charging Clase and Ortiz with fraud, conspiracy, and bribery.

They allege the two pitchers intentionally altered certain pitches to help gamblers who had placed targeted wagers. Ortiz pleaded not guilty in Brooklyn federal court and walked out on a $500,000 bond.

Clase still waits for his arraignment. These accusations put a glaring spotlight on the uneasy relationship between sports betting and professional baseball performance.

Immediate MLB Policy Changes

Major League Baseball responded fast. They tightened controls on one of their most vulnerable betting categories—pitch-specific wagers.

Now, these bets are capped at $200 and can’t be included in parlays, which bundle multiple wagers for higher payouts. Boras isn’t convinced these steps go far enough to protect the sport’s credibility.

Scott Boras’ Call for a Betting Overhaul

Boras, never one to mince words, blasted the league’s approach.

He believes that even minimal prop bets place unfair scrutiny on pitchers and fuel suspicion over what might otherwise be routine in-game decisions. In Boras’ eyes, the only way to protect player integrity is to remove the temptation and perception entirely by eliminating prop bets from the game.

The Player Protection Argument

For Boras, this goes beyond the current scandal.

He wants to ensure no player faces questions for a pitch selection or execution that might look out of the ordinary. With betting now so sophisticated and accessible, he warns that every on-field action could get twisted into accusations of match manipulation.

Support from State Authorities and the Guardians

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine seems to agree with Boras’ concerns.

He’s calling on the state’s Casino Control Commission to ban player-specific micro betting altogether. That’s a step further than MLB’s own policies—targeting bets that zero in on a single athlete’s actions during a game.

DeWine frames this as essential for maintaining fair competition and keeping athletes safe from outside pressure.

Team Leadership Steps In

Chris Antonetti, the Guardians’ executive, threw his support behind both MLB’s new restrictions and DeWine’s proposed rules.

He described them as important moves against potential corruption. The franchise wants to be part of the solution, not just react to the scandal.

Beyond the Scandal: Offseason Spending and Labor Concerns

Boras is also talking about team spending as the offseason gets underway.

He represents top free agents like Cody Bellinger, Alex Bregman, and Pete Alonso, and suggests that labor tensions aren’t stopping investments in talent. Even with the possibility of a dispute after the 2026 Collective Bargaining Agreement expires, he says strikes don’t actually cost teams on payroll at the time, so the current market stays active.

What This Means for Baseball’s Future

The intersection of betting regulation, player protection, and labor dynamics creates a tangled situation for Major League Baseball. The league is tightening controls to prevent game manipulation.

Meanwhile, agents and state officials want broader bans to shield athletes from suspicion. Balancing fan engagement through betting with the integrity of the sport—honestly, that’s going to be one of MLB’s toughest puzzles in the years ahead.

Key takeaways from the controversy:

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