Guardians' Luis Ortiz Subject Of MLB Gambling Investigation, Placed
Cleveland Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz is the topic of a Big league Baseball betting investigation and was positioned on non-disciplinary leave Thursday, 2 individuals with understanding of the investigation informed The Associated Press.
The people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity due to the nature of the investigation.
The examination relates to in-game prop bets on two pitches thrown by Ortiz that got greater activity than normal throughout his starts at Seattle on June 15 and his recent getaway versus 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 firm IC360 recently also sent an alert to sportsbook operators relating to Ortiz.
The Athletic was the very first to report that Ortiz's suspension was associated with gaming.
MLB said Ortiz's paid leave is through completion of the All-Star break, when gamers return to their groups July 17 and games resume the following day. It can be extended if the examination stays continuous.
Cleveland Guardians Luis L. Ortiz throws kid he Athletics during 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 game at the Chicago Cubs that the team can continue to have contact with Ortiz, however he can't enter any of the Guardians' centers. Ortiz went back to Cleveland on Wednesday night.
Ortiz was slated to be the beginning pitcher for Thursday night ´ s series ending. Instead, left-hander Joey Cantillo was remembered from Triple-A Columbus. Cantillo is 1-0 with one conserve and a 3.81 ERA in 21 appearances this season.
"We learned extremely little last night, however understood we needed to get someone here today to begin today ´ s game, and that actually was our focus," Antonetti said. "A lot has actually come out today, which ´ s much more information than we have.
"Our focus is we ´ ll let the investigative process play out. To the degree Major League Baseball or anybody requires our support because, we will undoubtedly cooperate. But beyond that, there ´ s actually not much we can do."
Manager Stephen Vogt stated he and Antonetti resolved the group about Ortiz's scenario and tried to answer questions the very best they could.
It is another setback for a Guardians squad that has dropped a season-high six straight video games and is 9-18 given that May 1.
"Honestly, when I got the news the other day I didn ´ t know how to feel," Vogt stated. "There ´ s a lot unknowns with this, but you understand what? Every team goes through hardship, perhaps various kinds, however this is a durable group. I ´ ve been through scenarios comparable to this before in my career as a player, and what would I have wished to hear? How would I desire the supervisor to have actually reacted, and that ´ s what I ´ m trying to do."
The 26-year old Ortiz is in his very first season with Cleveland after he was obtained 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 tied for the most in the American League.
In 4 big-league seasons, Ortiz is 16-22 with a 4.05 ERA and one conserve.
The examination into Ortiz comes a little more than a year after MLB suspended five players for gambling, including a life time ban for San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano. MLB said Marcano put 387 baseball bets amounting to more than $150,000 with a legal sportsbook in 2022 and 2023.
Athletics pitcher Michael Kelly and three small 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 pal who banked on baseball games and for intentionally erasing electronic messages significant to the league ´ s investigation.
Freelance writer Matt Carlson in Chicago added to this report.