Guardians' Luis Ortiz Subject Of MLB Gambling Investigation, Placed

Cleveland Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz is the topic of a Major League Baseball betting investigation and was placed on non-disciplinary leave Thursday, two people with understanding 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 belongs to in-game prop bets on two pitches thrown by Ortiz that received greater activity than during his starts at Seattle on June 15 and his recent trip versus St. Louis on June 27. The betting activity on the pitches was flagged by a betting-integrity firm and forwarded to MLB.


ESPN reported the company IC360 just recently also sent an alert to sportsbook operators concerning Ortiz.


The Athletic was the first to report that Ortiz's suspension was connected to gaming.


MLB said 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 investigation stays continuous.


Cleveland Guardians pitcher Luis L. Ortiz tosses toddler 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 group can continue to have contact with Ortiz, but he can't get in any of the Guardians' centers. 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 conserve and a 3.81 ERA in 21 appearances this season.


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


"Our focus is we ´ ll let the investigative process play out. To the extent Big league Baseball or anybody requires our assistance in that, we will certainly work together. But beyond that, there ´ s truly not much we can do."


Manager Stephen Vogt said he and Antonetti resolved the group about Ortiz's scenario and attempted to respond to concerns the very best they could.


It is another problem for a Guardians team that has actually dropped a season-high six straight games and is 9-18 since 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, however you know what? Every team goes through hardship, maybe various kinds, but this is a resilient group. I ´ ve been through scenarios comparable to this before in my career as a gamer, and what would I have wanted to hear? How would I desire the supervisor to have actually responded, which ´ s what I ´ m trying to do."


The 26-year old Ortiz is in his first season with Cleveland after he was acquired 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 nine losses are connected 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 examination into Ortiz comes a bit more than a year after MLB suspended five players for gambling, consisting of a lifetime ban for San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano. MLB stated Marcano positioned 387 baseball bets totaling 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 friend who bet on baseball video games and for deliberately deleting electronic messages relevant to the league ´ s investigation.


Freelance author Matt Carlson in Chicago added to this report.