Guardians' Luis Ortiz Subject Of MLB Gambling Investigation, Placed

Cleveland Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz is the subject of a Big league Baseball betting examination and was placed on non-disciplinary leave Thursday, 2 people with understanding of the examination informed The Associated Press.


The individuals spoke with the AP on condition of anonymity due to the nature of the examination.


The examination relates to in-game prop bets on 2 pitches tossed by Ortiz that got higher activity than usual throughout his starts at Seattle on June 15 and his recent outing 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 regarding Ortiz.


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


MLB stated Ortiz's paid leave is through completion 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 ongoing.


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 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 went back 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 recalled from Triple-A Columbus. Cantillo is 1-0 with one save and a 3.81 ERA in 21 looks this season.


"We discovered extremely little last night, however understood we needed to get someone here today to start today ´ s video game, and that actually 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 process play out. To the degree Big league Baseball or anybody needs our in that, we will certainly comply. But beyond that, there ´ s actually not much we can do."


Manager Stephen Vogt said he and Antonetti attended to the team about Ortiz's circumstance and attempted to respond to concerns the very best they could.


It is another obstacle for a Guardians squad 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, however you understand what? Every group goes through hardship, maybe different kinds, but this is a resistant group. I ´ ve been through circumstances 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 remains 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 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 investigation into Ortiz comes a little more than a year after MLB suspended 5 players for gaming, consisting of a life time restriction 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 minor leaguers - San Diego pitcher Jay Groome, Arizona pitcher and Philadelphia infielder José Rodríguez - received 1 year suspensions.


Umpire Pat Hoberg was fired by Major League Baseball in February for sharing his legal sports betting accounts with a good friend who banked on baseball games and for intentionally deleting electronic messages important to the league ´ s investigation.


Freelance writer Matt Carlson in Chicago contributed to this report.