Guardians' Luis Ortiz Subject Of MLB Gambling Investigation, Placed
Cleveland Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz is the subject of a Big league Baseball betting investigation and was put on non-disciplinary leave Thursday, two individuals with understanding of the investigation informed The Associated Press.
Individuals spoke with the AP on condition of privacy due to the nature of the examination.
The investigation belongs to in-game prop bets on two pitches thrown by Ortiz that received higher activity than usual during his starts at Seattle on June 15 and his current outing against St. Louis on June 27. The gaming activity on the pitches was by a betting-integrity company and forwarded to MLB.
ESPN reported the company IC360 just recently also sent out an alert to sportsbook operators regarding Ortiz.
The Athletic was the very first to report that Ortiz's suspension was connected to gambling.
MLB stated Ortiz's paid leave is through the end of the All-Star break, when players go back to their teams July 17 and games resume the following day. It can be extended if the examination stays continuous.
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, said before Thursday night's game at the Chicago Cubs that the team can continue to have contact with Ortiz, however he can't get in any of the Guardians' facilities. Ortiz went back to Cleveland on Wednesday night.
Ortiz was slated to be the beginning 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 looks this season.
"We found out really little last night, but understood we needed to get somebody here today to begin today ´ s game, which really was our focus," Antonetti said. "A lot has actually come out today, and that ´ s much more info than we have.
"Our focus is we ´ ll let the investigative procedure play out. To the degree Big league Baseball or anybody needs our support in that, we will certainly 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 situation and tried to respond to questions the best they could.
It is another problem for a Guardians team that has dropped a season-high six straight games and is 9-18 given that May 1.
"Honestly, when I got the news yesterday I didn ´ t understand how to feel," Vogt stated. "There ´ s a lot unknowns with this, however you understand what? Every group goes through difficulty, possibly various kinds, however this is a resilient group. I ´ ve been through situations similar to this before in my profession as a player, and what would I have wished to hear? How would I desire the manager to have reacted, which ´ s what I ´ m attempting to do."
The 26-year old Ortiz is 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 conserve.
The examination into Ortiz comes a little bit more than a year after MLB suspended 5 players for gaming, consisting of a lifetime restriction for San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano. MLB stated Marcano put 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 - gotten 1 year suspensions.
Umpire Pat Hoberg was fired by Major League Baseball in February for sharing his legal sports gambling accounts with a good friend who bet on baseball games and for purposefully deleting electronic messages significant to the league ´ s examination.
Freelance writer Matt Carlson in Chicago added to this report.