Guardians' Luis Ortiz Subject Of MLB Gambling Investigation, Placed
Cleveland Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz is the subject of a Major League Baseball betting investigation and was put on non-disciplinary leave Thursday, 2 individuals with understanding of the investigation told The Associated Press.
The individuals spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity due to the nature of the investigation.
The investigation belongs to in-game prop bets on 2 pitches tossed by Ortiz that received higher activity than normal during his starts at Seattle on June 15 and his recent outing against St. Louis on June 27. The betting activity on the pitches was flagged by a betting-integrity company and forwarded to MLB.
ESPN reported the company IC360 just recently likewise sent out an alert to sportsbook operators regarding Ortiz.
The Athletic was the first to report that Ortiz's suspension was related to betting.
MLB stated Ortiz's paid leave is through the end of the All-Star break, when gamers go back to their teams July 17 and games resume the following day. It can be extended if the investigation remains ongoing.
Cleveland Guardians pitcher Luis L. Ortiz throws toddler he Athletics throughout the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 21, 2025, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Sara Nevis)
Chris Antonetti, Cleveland ´ s president of baseball operations, stated before Thursday night's video game at the Chicago Cubs that the group can continue to have contact with Ortiz, but he can't get in any of the Guardians' facilities. Ortiz went back to Cleveland on Wednesday night.
Ortiz was slated to be the starting pitcher for Thursday night ´ s series finale. Instead, left-hander Joey Cantillo was remembered from Triple-A Columbus. Cantillo is 1-0 with one save and a 3.81 ERA in 21 appearances this season.
"We learned very little last night, however knew we needed to get somebody here today to start today ´ s game, which truly was our focus," Antonetti said. "A lot has come out today, which ´ s far more information than we have.
"Our focus is we ´ ll let the investigative process play out. To the extent Major League Baseball or anybody requires our because, we will clearly comply. But beyond that, there ´ s really not much we can do."
Manager Stephen Vogt stated he and Antonetti attended to the team about Ortiz's scenario and attempted to address questions the very best they could.
It is another setback for a Guardians team that has actually dropped a season-high six straight games and is 9-18 considering that May 1.
"Honestly, when I got the news the other day I didn ´ t know how to feel," Vogt said. "There ´ s a lot unknowns with this, but you understand what? Every group goes through difficulty, possibly various kinds, however this is a durable group. I ´ ve been through situations similar to this before in my career as a gamer, and what would I have wished to hear? How would I desire the manager to have responded, which ´ s what I ´ m trying to do."
The 26-year old Ortiz remains in his very first season with Cleveland after he was gotten in a trade with Pittsburgh last December. The right-hander is 4-9 with a 4.36 ERA and 96 strikeouts in 16 starts this season. The 9 losses are connected for the most in the American League.
In 4 big-league seasons, Ortiz is 16-22 with a 4.05 ERA and one save.
The investigation into Ortiz comes a little bit more than a year after MLB suspended 5 players for gaming, including a life time restriction for San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano. MLB said Marcano positioned 387 baseball bets totaling more than $150,000 with a legal sportsbook in 2022 and 2023.
Athletics pitcher Michael Kelly and 3 minor leaguers - San Diego pitcher Jay Groome, Arizona pitcher and Philadelphia infielder José Rodríguez - received one-year suspensions.
Umpire Pat Hoberg was fired by Big league Baseball in February for sharing his legal sports gambling accounts with a friend who wagered on baseball video games and for intentionally deleting electronic messages important to the league ´ s investigation.
Freelance author Matt Carlson in Chicago added to this report.