Guardians' Luis Ortiz Subject Of MLB Gambling Investigation, Placed
Cleveland Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz is the topic of a Big league Baseball gambling and was placed on non-disciplinary leave Thursday, two people with knowledge of the investigation informed The Associated Press.
Individuals talked to the AP on condition of privacy due to the nature of the examination.
The examination is associated to in-game prop bets on 2 pitches tossed by Ortiz that received greater activity than typical during his starts at Seattle on June 15 and his current trip against St. Louis on June 27. The gaming activity on the pitches was flagged by a betting-integrity company and forwarded to MLB.
ESPN reported the firm IC360 just recently also sent out an alert to sportsbook operators relating to Ortiz.
The Athletic was the first to report that Ortiz's suspension was related to betting.
MLB stated Ortiz's paid leave is through completion of the All-Star break, when players return to their teams July 17 and games resume the following day. It can be extended if the examination stays ongoing.
Cleveland Guardians pitcher Luis L. Ortiz throws tot he Athletics during the seventh inning of a baseball video 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 team can continue to have contact with Ortiz, however he can't enter any of the Guardians' facilities. Ortiz returned to Cleveland on Wednesday night.
Ortiz was slated to be the starting 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 very little last night, however knew we required to get somebody here today to begin today ´ s game, which truly was our focus," Antonetti stated. "A lot has come out today, which ´ s far more information than we have.
"Our focus is we ´ ll let the investigative procedure play out. To the level Major League Baseball or anybody needs our assistance in that, we will clearly comply. But beyond that, there ´ s truly not much we can do."
Manager Stephen Vogt said he and Antonetti addressed the group about Ortiz's scenario and tried to answer concerns the very best they could.
It is another obstacle for a Guardians team that has actually dropped a season-high six straight games and is 9-18 given that May 1.
"Honestly, when I got the news the other day I didn ´ t understand how to feel," Vogt said. "There ´ s a lot unknowns with this, however you know what? Every team goes through hardship, possibly various kinds, however this is a durable group. I ´ ve been through situations comparable to this before in my profession as a player, and what would I have desired to hear? How would I want the supervisor to have actually reacted, and that ´ s what I ´ m trying to do."
The 26-year old Ortiz remains 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 four 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 five players for betting, consisting of a life time ban for San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano. MLB said Marcano put 387 baseball bets totaling more than $150,000 with a legal sportsbook in 2022 and 2023.
Athletics pitcher Michael Kelly and 3 small leaguers - San Diego pitcher Jay Groome, Arizona pitcher and Philadelphia infielder José Rodríguez - gotten 1 year suspensions.
Umpire Pat Hoberg was fired by Major League Baseball in February for sharing his legal sports gambling accounts with a buddy who wagered on baseball video games and for intentionally erasing electronic messages pertinent to the league ´ s examination.
Freelance writer Matt Carlson in Chicago contributed to this report.