Emmanuel Clase had made over $12 million as a relief pitcher and was set to pocket an additional $6.4 million next season from the Cleveland Guardians. At just 27 years old with the ability to throw a 95 mph cutter, there were likely many more millions to come.

You’d think that would be enough to avoid possibly throwing it all away in a sports betting scandal.

Yet federal prosecutors allege that Clase, over the past few years, routinely conspired with a couple of as-yet-unnamed gamblers to throw certain pitches in certain ways so they could successfully bet on the outcome — below a specific speed, for example. (Yes, over/under 97.95 mph is a bet that is offered.)

Prosecutors said the gamblers involved won at least $400,000 in bets involving Clase. A portion, sometimes as little as $2,000 (fractional when compared with his salary), was allegedly kicked back to Clase.

That included a May 28, 2025, game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, where, a federal indictment states, two bettors wagered $4,000 that his first pitch would be either a ball or hit the batter.

Clase apparently did his part, throwing it low and out of the strike zone. Dodgers outfielder Andy Pages swung anyway, though, missing the ball for a strike.

The bet was a bust.

Clase went on to retire the side in order, securing a save in the Cleveland victory. It was of little help to the bettors, though, one of whom sent Clase a “.gif image of a man hanging himself with toilet paper,” per the indictment. Clase texted back “a sad puppy dog face.”

We can only imagine the emojis Clase has been using since his arrest on Sunday that didn’t cost him just the rest of that massive contract and a potential lifetime ban from Major League Baseball, but possibly up to 20 years in prison.

Everything potentially lost for so little.

Clase and Guardians starter Luis Ortiz — also indicted Sunday for similar alleged “pitch-rigging” activities — are innocent until proven guilty, of course, but if you are looking for a near sure thing to count on, it’s the feds. They rarely lose.

And that might be the only thing that can uphold the integrity of sports in America. At least we can hope.

Recent weeks have seen a parade of sports wagering scandals, schemes and indictments. Pro basketball. College basketball. Now MLB.

The accused range from the rich and famous to the broke and obscure, from young men to old heads. Trying to design a preventative, educational system seems impossible. Who can even explain the individual motivations or circumstances? Some needed money; others didn’t. Some were naive; others were worldly.

There is little in common between, say, a respected, 49-year-old Hall of Famer turned NBA coach such as Chauncey Billups, three players on the 4-27 University of New Orleans basketball team and a Dominican relief pitcher in the prime of his lucrative MLB career.

The way to stop this stuff is to stop it from starting. The fear of getting caught — and the fact that the federal government is catching people on a regular basis — might be the only thing that can scare everyone (or most everyone) straight.

Common sense says federal prosecutors won’t find everything. They are trying, though, with offices out of New York and Philadelphia busting people making small wagers on random pitches, the playing rotation of late-season NBA games and even hoops point spreads out of the obscure Southland Conference.

No one should think they are safe.

Gamblers, of course, have been fixing sports about as long as sports have existed. Baseball itself has seen a World Series compromised and its all-time hit king barred from Hall of Fame enshrinement due to this stuff.

A pitch in the Cleveland dirt somehow seems quaint.

Yet never before has sports wagering been so front of mind in America. Not only is it legal in 38 states and the District of Columbia, but teams, leagues, media outlets and everyone else are cashing in on the business. It’s on your TV. It’s on your phone. It’s in your face whether you gamble or not. Promo Code: Everywhere.

That has likely led to more temptation. Some of the college players have bet on themselves or participated in unsophisticated plots — one New Orleans player was allegedly overheard at a timeout telling two others to stop scoring to prevent their team from accidentally covering (the spread was 23; they lost by 25).

The good news? The ease of betting has also certainly led to easier detection, at least if bets are made through legal sources. The integrity monitoring systems are excellent.

There is a movement to ban individual prop bets, such as a player’s rebounding totals or the speed of a pitch. Those are easiest to manipulate, after all. MLB announced Monday that prominent U.S. sportsbooks are placing a $200 betting limit on baseball wagers centered on individual pitches and prohibiting such bets from being included in parlays in an attempt to decrease the incentive for manipulation. These are good ideas.

Yet sports wagering comes in many forms — legal, yes, but also through illegal books or offshore accounts. Then there is daily fantasy and the prediction market, where there is a near lack of government oversight.

This feels like whack-a-mole. Legislation is always a reaction, not a prevention.

In the end, the fear of being busted is about the only universal deterrent. Corruption is an individual decision, and prison is a powerful disincentive. No one wants to be the next guy sending sad puppy dog faces.

With just a few weeks to go before the early signing period, the 2026 class is mostly wrapped up. Only eight of the prospects ranked inside the ESPN 300 remain uncommitted, including just one — defensive end Jordan Carter — among ESPN’s top 100 recruits.

However, there’s still plenty of activity expected over the homestretch of the 2026 cycle. As committed prospects hit the road for November visits across the country and top programs scour the flip market for late-cycle additions, recruiting drama this time of year is expected. Adding to the intrigue this fall is early activity on the coaching carousel that left job openings at major programs, including Auburn, Florida, LSU and Penn State, sparking flip interest from other top schools and sending committed recruits to reconsider their options before December.

As the business end of the 2026 cycle arrives, ESPN spoke to sources across the industry about 10 prospects who could be on the move in the 23 days between now and the early signing period.

Hometown: Erwinsville, Louisiana
ESPN 300 rank: No. 1
Position rank: No. 1
Committed to: LSU

Recruiting intel: Brown became the highest-ranked pledge of the Brian Kelly era at LSU when he committed to the Tigers over Miami and Texas A&M in July. Five months later, the nation’s top-ranked recruit remains the cornerstone of the program’s incoming class as the school searches for its next coach in the wake of Kelly’s firing.

Brown, who was recruited as a legitimate two-way offensive/defensive line prospect, recorded 91 tackles and eight sacks across his first three varsity seasons at Louisiana’s University Laboratory School, which is located on the LSU campus, just one mile east of Tiger Stadium.

The latest: Brown has emphasized the value of playing at LSU as a Louisiana native and the chance to remain close to home throughout his recruitment. More than two weeks after Kelly’s dismissal, ESPN sources continue to expect Brown to sign with the Tigers during the early signing period, regardless of where the program’s coaching search stands at that point.

Brown’s continued commitment is critical for LSU, not only because he would be the program’s first No. 1-ranked signee since Leonard Fournette in 2014 but because the 6-foot-5, 285-pound defender is seen as the linchpin of the Tigers’ incoming class, according to sources within the program. If Brown sticks with LSU, those sources expect the majority of the 2026 class to do the same.

Still, Brown has been the subject of renewed interest from Miami and Texas A&M in recent weeks. Between those two, sources believe Texas A&M — a narrow runner-up for Brown’s pledge in June — presents the biggest threat to LSU. Brown is not slated to take any visits this month, but his recruitment will be one to watch.

Hometown: Flowood, Mississippi
ESPN 300 rank: No. 39
Position rank: No. 3
Committed to: Auburn

Recruiting intel: Auburn beat Florida, Ohio State and Texas A&M to Womack’s commitment in August, and Mississippi’s 2024 Gatorade Football Player of the Year remains the Tigers’ top-ranked 2026 pledge.

ESPN sources viewed Womack’s pledge as tied heavily to the future of Auburn coach Hugh Freeze before the program fired the third-year coach Nov. 2. After Freeze’s exit, Womack is considering all of his options, with major programs interested.

The latest: Texas A&M is working on several high-profile flip targets in the final stages of the cycle, including Womack, Brown, Anthony Jones (Oregon) and Kevin Ford (Florida). Among that group, Womack might be the most attainable for coach Mike Elko and the Aggies.

Texas A&M finished second in Womack’s recruitment over the summer, and the Aggies are expected to have him back on campus this weekend for the program’s visit from South Carolina.

In-state programs Mississippi State and Ole Miss are two others in pursuit of Womack; his visit for the Bulldogs’ Week 11 loss to Georgia marked a significant development for Mississippi State. Summer finalists Florida and Ohio State can’t be counted out either.

Hometown: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
ESPN 300 rank: No. 78
Position rank: No. 13
Committed to: Penn State

Recruiting intel: College talent evaluators view the longtime Penn State commit as a potential multiyear starter at the next level. It’s a big part of why Ohio State and West Virginia, among a group of other major programs seeking to land an impact, late-cycle addition on the offensive line, have swarmed Brown since the Nittany Lions fired coach James Franklin last month.

“The programs that are coming in right now are teams that need a right tackle,” Brown’s father, Tim, told ESPN. “It’s very specific — it’s not the recruiting we experienced before.”

An agile, big-framed blocker capable of playing across the offensive line, Brown marked a seismic in-state win for Franklin’s staff when he committed to Penn State in July 2024. Nearly a year and a half later, his future increasingly appears to lie somewhere other than Happy Valley.

The latest: Brown closed October with a midweek visit to West Virginia before spending Week 10 at Ohio State during the Buckeyes’ 38-14 win over Penn State on Nov. 1.

Brown’s father played at West Virginia in the early 2000s under coach Rich Rodriguez, and beyond family ties, the program has impressed Brown with its long-term vision for Rodriguez’s second stint leading the Mountaineers. The culture at Ohio State left an imprint on him as well, and Brown might return for an official visit with the Buckeyes later this month.

North Carolina is another program working to sway Brown. He also plans to leave the door open with Penn State and its next coach. But with the clock ticking on the Nittany Lions’ coaching search and Brown intent on making a decision no later than the first week of December, Ohio State and West Virginia appear well-positioned for an important flip.

Hometown: Vero Beach, Florida
ESPN 300 rank: No. 81
Position rank: No. 14
Committed to: UCLA

Recruiting intel: Smith’s June pledge to UCLA marked a once-in-a-decade offensive line commitment for the Bruins. But a lot has changed since then, most importantly, the team’s coach. With interest swirling from around the country, will Smith ultimately land at Ohio State or in the SEC? Or can the Bruins hang on to their lone remaining ESPN 300 pledge?

The latest: Though Smith has maintained his commitment to UCLA, the 6-foot-6, 320-pound lineman has made the rounds this fall with Ohio State, Ole Miss, South Carolina and Tennessee emerging among the most prominent flip contenders in his recruitment.

Smith visited Ole Miss in September, and he was on campus at Tennessee for an official visit during the program’s Week 10 game against Oklahoma. ESPN sources expect the Rebels and Vols to be the most serious players in Smith’s process.

Sources have also reinforced the possibility of Smith remaining with UCLA. His commitment earlier this year came with a significant financial package, and Smith remains close with UCLA offensive line coach Andy Kwon. It’s not out of the question that Smith could stick with the Bruins under a new head coach, particularly if Kwon remains on the program’s staff.

Hometown: Gonzales, Louisiana
ESPN 300 rank: No. 84
Position rank: No. 15
Committed to: LSU

Recruiting intel: Brian Kelly’s departure certainly accelerated potential movement in Martinez’s process. But the 6-foot-6, 280-pound lineman had been in contact with multiple SEC programs this fall, well before LSU moved on from its fourth-year coach last month.

With elite length and physicality, Martinez projects as a standout run blocker with positional flexibility in college. He held offers from Alabama, Georgia, Oregon, Tennessee, Florida, Texas A&M and Penn State upon his commitment to the in-state Tigers in February.

The latest: Texas made a notable jump in Martinez’s recruitment when he visited for the Longhorns’ win over Vanderbilt on Nov. 1, and Martinez is scheduled to return for an official visit when the program hosts Arkansas on Nov. 22.

“I’ve never heard him say, ‘I don’t want to go home,’ on a visit,” his mother, Kandace, said. “He loved it [at Texas]. He wanted to figure out when we were coming back before we even left.”

The Longhorns reach mid-November as clear front-runners among Martinez’s flip contenders. Oklahoma and Tennessee also are still involved in his process, and Martinez remains in contact with the LSU staff. But as things stand, the return trip to Texas later this month is the only visit Martinez has scheduled before the early signing period.

Hometown: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
ESPN 300 rank: No. 141
Position rank: No. 13
Committed to: Penn State

Recruiting intel: The longest-tenured member of the Nittany Lions’ 2026 class, Mickens has been looking elsewhere over the past month, with Indiana, Oklahoma and Ole Miss emerging among the leading contenders.

Mickens accounted for more than 3,200 rushing yards and 54 touchdowns on the ground across the first three seasons of his high school career. He initially shut down his recruitment earlier this year after a brief flirtation with Notre Dame. But since Franklin’s firing Oct. 12, Mickens stands as one of the top available running backs across the 2026 class.

The latest: Mickens heard from nearly a dozen programs after Franklin’s departure. He has since narrowed his process to three programs and plans to hit the road in the coming weeks.

Mickens is set to visit Indiana this weekend for the Hoosiers’ Week 12 matchup with Wisconsin. He’ll travel to Oklahoma, where Mickens has developed a close relationship with running backs coach DeMarco Murray, on Nov. 29, and Mickens is working to set up a trip to Ole Miss before the end of the regular season. From that group, ESPN sources view Oklahoma as the leading contender for Mickens, who also has considered South Carolina.

Hometown: West Palm Beach, Florida
ESPN 300 rank: No. 142
Position rank: No. 1
Committed to: Auburn

Recruiting intel: The nation’s top-ranked inside linebacker remains committed to the Tigers, but Balogoun-Ali has drawn significant interest from power-conference programs in the week-plus since Freeze’s departure from Auburn.

Balogoun-Ali entered his senior season this fall as a three-year varsity contributor with 161 career tackles. His initial commitment to the Tigers over Kentucky and Missouri in June was influenced heavily by a connection with Auburn linebackers coach and defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin, who took over as the Tigers’ interim coach Nov. 2.

The latest: Georgia, Miami, Missouri and Notre Dame are among the programs that have continued pushing to flip Balogoun-Ali over the past week. But for now, Balogoun-Ali told ESPN he remains locked in with Auburn under Durkin while the program searches for its next head coach.

“The strongest reason I committed to Auburn was to play and learn under Coach Durkin,” Balogoun-Ali told ESPN. “With him becoming interim, I’m going to give it time. Right now, it’s still War Damn Eagle.”

Missouri has been the most active program in Balogoun-Ali’s recruitment in recent weeks. In-state Miami presents another attractive spot. Georgia and Notre Dame stand as two late-arriving contenders still looking to add high-level talent on defense in the 2026 cycle.

Hometown: Duncanville, Texas
ESPN 300 rank: No. 158
Position rank: No. 20
Committed to: Florida

Recruiting intel: Ford picked Florida over Ohio State and Texas in July. The promising edge rusher from Texas is still committed to the Gators, keeping in close contact with the program’s coaching staff since coach Billy Napier’s departure last month.

“It necessarily didn’t impact my recruitment,” Ford told ESPN of Napier’s firing. “I liked the campus at Florida and how the fans and culture are building for years to come. I’m not really hoping to see anything with the coaching search, just a person who can elevate the program.”

However, Ford is still drawing interest from multiple programs. He has already set for a visit with USC later this month, and looks likely to take a few more campus trips in the coming weeks.

The latest: Clemson, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and USC are leading the charge to pull Ford away from the Gators in the lead-up to the early signing period.

Initially expected to visit Texas Tech for the program’s top-10 showdown with BYU on Saturday, Ford did not make the trip to Lubbock but could still visit with the Red Raiders this month. Texas A&M, which has hosted Ford twice this fall, stands as another major player in his recruitment as the Aggies pursue late-cycle defensive line talent. USC has been a constant presence throughout Ford’s process and will host him when the Trojans face UCLA on Nov. 29.

Ford remains one of the top members of Florida’s 2026 class. But the Gators will have to fend off several surging programs to keep his pledge through signing day.

Hometown: McDonald, Pennsylvania
ESPN 300 rank: No. 162
Position rank: No. 42
Committed to: Penn State

Recruiting intel: Another longtime Penn State commit, Sieg is courting late-cycle interest from Indiana, Notre Dame, Pitt and West Virginia as he evaluates his next steps while keeping an eye on the Nittany Lions’ coaching search.

“I was really looking forward to getting set up there this December and being able to get into it,” Sieg said of Penn State. “But everything happens for a reason. So right now, I’m just trying to weigh my options and make sure me and my family make the best decision possible.”

A two-way star at Fort Cherry (Pennsylvania) High School, roughly 30 miles outside of Pittsburgh, Sieg remains the third-ranked pledge in Penn State’s 2026 class. But that could change over the next month as programs swarm to one of the nation’s top available safety prospects.

The latest: Sieg hit the road in the weeks after Franklin’s exit at Penn State, opening with trips to Indiana and Pitt before visiting Notre Dame this past weekend. He’ll also visit West Virginia later this month, as the Mountaineers have pitched Sieg on the chance to play both ways, tacking on opportunities at wide receiver/running back to his defensive duties.

Among the flip contenders, Indiana and Notre Dame appear best positioned in Sieg’s recruitment. Similar to other Penn State pledges, Sieg is also keeping an eye on where Franklin might land in a process that is expected to go down to the wire.

“My plan is to probably make a decision on signing day or right before,” Sieg said. “I’m trying to wait and see what ends up happening with Coach Franklin and a lot of the coaches that are still at Penn State and see what they end up doing before I make a final decision.”

Hometown: Leakesville, Mississippi
ESPN 300 rank: No. 258
Position rank: No. 14
Committed to: Auburn

Recruiting intel: Mathews, Auburn’s lone top-300 skill position pledge, fits the mold of the tall, playmaking wide receiver the Tigers have recruited in recent years. He told ESPN that the program’s decision to move on from Freeze, paired with consistent interest from a trio of rival SEC programs, has prompted him to reconsider his options in the late stages of the cycle.

“I’ve had to question myself multiple times,” Mathews said. “I’m hoping to see them grow and not falter from these losses, and in the process, see them strengthen our offense.”

Mathews’ senior season was cut short by an ACL tear. But if healthy, he projects as a potential Day 1 contributor wherever he lands next fall, which explains why the attention he has attracted this fall has only intensified since Freeze’s firing late last month.

The latest: LSU, Ole Miss and Texas A&M were among Mathews’ finalists when he committed to Auburn in August. Weeks out from the early signing period, he told ESPN that those three programs remain in close contact, working to flip the 6-foot-2 pass catcher from the Tigers.

Mathews saw two of those programs in person last month when he visited LSU for the Tigers’ Oct. 25 game with Texas A&M. Though Mathews intends to return to Auburn in the closing weeks of the regular season, he’s also likely to visit a few other campuses before signing day.

“Don’t be surprised if I’m on the road when the Tigers are not playing at Jordan-Hare,” Mathews said.

As Auburn conducts a coaching search, Mathews’ recruitment could roll into the first week of December, opening the door for one of his top-three suitors to make a late move.

TORONTO — Joe Thornton always did things his way.

Larger than life on the ice and away from the rink, the big forward with a radiating personality, elite vision, soft hands and a sparkling smile has been unapologetically unique since stepping into the NHL spotlight at age 18.

Now, the man affectionately known as “Jumbo Joe” is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Thornton was inducted Monday alongside fellow 2025 class members Zdeno Chara, Duncan Keith, Alexander Mogilny, Jennifer Botterill and Brianna Decker in the player category.

Jack Parker and Danièle Sauvageau were enshrined as builders.

Selected first at the 1997 draft by the Boston Bruins, Thornton’s trajectory took off after a trade to the San Jose Sharks. He spent 14 seasons in California, winning the scoring title and Hart Trophy as league MVP in 2005-06, and was the third player to lead the NHL in assists three straight seasons.

“As long as I can remember, my year consisted of going from road hockey right to the backyard rink,” Thornton said of his childhood during a tear-filled speech. “There was only one season for me — it was hockey season.”

Thornton topped San Jose in scoring eight times, including five straight seasons, and helped the Sharks make the 2016 Stanley Cup final.

The 46-year-old, who played 24 NHL seasons and won Olympic gold with Canada in 2010, put up 1,539 points in 1,714 regular-season games in a career that ended with pit stops with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers. He finished 12th in scoring, seventh in assists and sixth in games played.

“Winning the gold medal in Vancouver in 2010 was truly electric,” Thornton said. “I remember leaving the arena and I looked to my left, and I saw a naked woman on the back of a motorcycle waving a Canadian flag.

“I looked to my pregnant wife, and I said, ‘I am so proud to be Canadian.'”

Chara, 48, was drafted by the New York Islanders in 1996 and traded to the Ottawa Senators in 2001 before signing with the Boston Bruins.

The 6-foot-9 blueliner played 14 seasons in Beantown — all as captain — from 2006 through 2020. Boston won the Cup in 2011 and made the final two other times.

The second European captain to hoist hockey’s holy grail, Chara competed at three Olympics and seven world championships. He captured the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top defenseman in 2009, and finished his career with the Washington Capitals before returning to the Islanders.

“Growing up in small town in Slovakia — Trencin — you don’t dream about nights like this,” Chara said. “You dream about a patch of ice that doesn’t melt before we finish practice. You dream about finding a stick that’s not broken or skates that can still fit for a couple of years.”

Keith played 16 seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks, winning the Cup in 2010, 2013 and 2015. The 42-year-old won Olympic gold for Canada in 2010 before topping the podium again in 2014, twice claimed the Norris Trophy and was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 2015. Keith played one campaign with the Edmonton Oilers before retiring in 2022.

“You can’t chase a dream alone,” he said. “And you can never lift the Cup or wear a gold medal on your own. You lift it with everybody that ever lifted you.”

Botterill played for Canada at four Olympics, winning three gold medals and a silver. She was part of five championship performances and three second-place finishes at the worlds, including taking MVP honors in 2001.

“My parents said they always knew that the sport of hockey was something special,” the 46-year-old broadcaster said. “Every time I was on the ice playing, they said they could see my smile through the cage. I carried that very same smile throughout my entire career.”

Decker won gold at the 2018 Olympics with the U.S. and owns two silver medals. The 34-year-old forward from Dousman, Wisconsin, also won the worlds six times, along with a couple of second-place finishes.

“Hockey has given me so much,” Decker said. “It’s given me lifelong friendships, unforgettable memories, and now this incredible honor.”

Sauvageau, 63, took part in six Olympics either behind the bench or in management for Canada, including the country’s 2002 run to gold as coach. The Montreal-born trailblazer — the hall’s first female builder — is currently general manager of the Professional Women’s Hockey League’s Victoire in her hometown.

“I dreamt of a life that did not exist,” she said. “And I have lived a life that I could not imagine.”

Parker, 80, led Boston University’s men’s program from 1973 through 2013, winning three national championships. He was also named NCAA coach of the year three times.

Mogilny, who skipped the week of celebrations, defected from the Soviet Union to the United States in 1989. He set career highs with 76 goals and 127 points with the 1992-1993 Buffalo Sabres — the most by a Soviet/Russian player.

The 56-year-old hoisted the Cup with the New Jersey Devils in 2000 in a career that included stints with the Leafs and Vancouver Canucks, finishing with 1,032 points in 990 regular-season games.

“I’m overwhelmed with gratitude,” Mogilny said in a recorded message. “Not just for this honor, but for the incredible journey that brought me here.”