Guardians' Luis Ortiz Subject Of MLB Gambling Investigation, Placed

Cleveland Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz is the topic of a Significant League Baseball gambling examination and was put on non-disciplinary leave Thursday, two individuals with knowledge of the investigation informed The Associated Press.


Individuals spoke with the AP on condition of anonymity due to the nature of the investigation.


The investigation relates to in-game prop bets on 2 pitches tossed by Ortiz that got greater activity than usual 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 firm and forwarded to MLB.


ESPN reported the firm IC360 recently likewise sent out an alert to sportsbook operators relating to Ortiz.


The Athletic was the very 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 gamers go back to their teams July 17 and games resume the following day. It can be extended if the examination remains continuous.


Cleveland Guardians pitcher Luis L. Ortiz tosses 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 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 returned to on Wednesday night.


Ortiz was slated to be the starting pitcher for Thursday night ´ s series ending. Instead, left-hander Joey Cantillo was recalled from Triple-A Columbus. Cantillo is 1-0 with one save and a 3.81 ERA in 21 looks this season.


"We discovered really little last night, but understood we needed to get someone here today to start today ´ s video game, and that actually was our focus," Antonetti stated. "A lot has come out today, which ´ s even more information than we have.


"Our focus is we ´ ll let the investigative procedure play out. To the degree Major League Baseball or anyone needs our support in that, we will clearly cooperate. But beyond that, there ´ s really not much we can do."


Manager Stephen Vogt stated he and Antonetti resolved the group about Ortiz's circumstance and tried to respond to questions the very best they could.


It is another setback for a Guardians team that has actually dropped a season-high six straight video games and is 9-18 considering that May 1.


"Honestly, when I got the news yesterday I didn ´ t understand how to feel," Vogt said. "There ´ s a lot unknowns with this, but you know what? Every group goes through misfortune, maybe various kinds, but this is a resistant group. I ´ ve been through situations comparable to this before in my career as a player, and what would I have wished to hear? How would I want the manager to have actually responded, which ´ s what I ´ m trying to do."


The 26-year old Ortiz remains in his 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 bit more than a year after MLB suspended five gamers for gaming, including a life time ban for San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano. MLB said Marcano placed 387 baseball bets amounting to 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 buddy who bet on baseball video games and for deliberately erasing electronic messages significant to the league ´ s investigation.


Freelance writer Matt Carlson in Chicago contributed to this report.