The baseball world was already on edge as news broke that Cleveland Guardians star Emmanuel Clase had been abruptly removed from Major League Baseball games. Clase, one of the game’s best relief pitchers and a three-time All-Star, wasn’t sidelined for injury or performance, but instead, found himself at the heart of a growing sports betting scandal. The shock intensified when, on the very same day, the Guardians lost Clase, their official lineup was revealed on social media. But something immediately felt out of place.

It started like any other game day post. The Guardians posted their starting lineup on social media, complete with clean graphics, upbeat captions, and the usual pregame buzz. However, fans did not care about who was leading off or who got the ball. Instead, their full attention was drawn to the bottom of the post. And there it was, bold, unmistakable, and jaw-droppingly ironic. A betting company logo.

One fan captured the idiocy perfectly on X: “Presented by WHO?????”

Because yes, the same day MLB officially validated that the team’s All-Star reliever had been placed on non-disciplinary paid leave over betting-related suspicions, the Guardians’ lineup post was sponsored by Bet365—a $12 billion global gambling giant. It didn’t take long for fans to connect the dots. Accusations were airborne, headlines were circulating, and yet the team’s social media was proudly encouraging the very industry now under scrutiny. It was not just tone-deaf; it felt like something out of a satire script. For many, it became a clear sign of how deeply betting and baseball have now merged, even when the optics are so bad.

Now zoom in on Clase himself, a lights-out closer who led the AL in saves for three straight years. In 2025, his 24 saves and 48 appearances made him a potential game-changer at the trade deadline. But that narrative vanished without a trace. Instead of being traded, Clase was sidelined, pending an ongoing MLB sports betting investigation. And it does not stop there. Just weeks earlier, Luis Ortiz, another Guardians pitcher, had also been placed on leave. Integrity monitors had picked out two of his in-game pitches for suspicious betting activity, raising alarms and forcing the league’s hand.

All of this put Cleveland in an uncomfortable limelight. Two pitchers, both removed for ties to betting. And then the Bet365 lineup post on X made things infinitely worse. While MLB insists these investigations are planned to uphold the sport’s integrity, the league and its teams are simultaneously banking on sponsorship money from betting partners. So, when fans saw “Bet365” promoting the Guardians’ roster on the same day Clase was cut off, it felt hypocritical at best and insulting at worst.

The Guardians likely did not plan it this way. But that is the point. The fact that a situation like this can even occur, without a moment’s pause in timing or tone, shows just how tightly pro baseball is mingled with sports gambling. The irony did not just spark debate; it sparked a wave of sharp, emotional, and often brutally honest reactions across various social media platforms.

Fans torch MLB’s mixed signals over betting scandal

“I mean, just don’t bet on baseball. The real tragedy is not letting Pete in before he died,” one fan said. This sentiment echoes a long-standing frustration that resurfaced quickly. Pete Rose, MLB’s all-time hits leader, was handed a lifetime ban in 1989 after betting on games while managing the Reds. This was an act the veteran admitted to years later. MLB made an example of Rose to uphold integrity, yet now finds itself entangled in betting partnerships while punishing stars for similar behavior. 

Another fan said, “They started with small ads and now they’re shoving it down our throats. Crazy.” It is not just related to a single lineup post. Fans have identified the creeping availability of gambling in every corner of MLB—from outfield wall banners to ongoing in-game betting odds on broadcasts. What started as subtle cooperation has become full-blown branding. This is the hypocrisy fans are calling out: punish players for betting, yet let gambling companies bankroll the show. 

“Now that’s funny 😆,” another fan said. The laughter was not from joy—it was sarcasm. Some fans reacted with mock amusement at the Guardians’ timing, calling out the comedy of errors. Specifically, just a season ago, MLB suspended five stars in June 2024 for betting violations, including a lifetime ban for Tucupita Marcano. He placed 387 bets totaling more than $150,000. The joke, for some, is that players are clearly being monitored and penalized—yet betting ads keep popping up like pop-ups.

“They’re not even trying to hide it! 😂.” That was the overwhelming vibe—like, MLB was not trying to mask the conflict anymore. The Clase and Ortiz instances hit just as teams doubled down on sportsbook cooperation. Instead of putting some distance between scandals and sponsors, MLB appears to be blending them, and when a $12 billion company’s logo sits beneath a post following a player’s betting investigation, it is tough not to feel like the curtain has already been pulled back.

“That’s unfortunate.” Quiet, yet loaded. Clase’s story carries real weight. This season, he had 24 saves, a 3.23 ERA, and a 1.23 WHIP—elite data that put him in All-Star and trade talks. However, now Clase has been yanked from the field and into a murky investigation. No one knows how deep the issue runs or what the future will bring, and whether Clase is guilty or not, it is hard not to feel a little sorry for a star whose career momentum has been thrown into chaos at the worst possible time.

MLB’s gambling double standard has never been more exposed. As players get benched for breaking the rules, teams keep cashing checks from the very companies fueling the mess. Fans see it, calling it out. If MLB does not address the contradiction quickly, this will not be the last time a scandal breaks—presented by Bet365.

`