The Associated Press was informed by two people with knowledge of the Major League Baseball gambling investigation that Cleveland Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz was placed on non-disciplinary leave on Thursday.
Because of the nature of the probe, the individuals who spoke to the AP were asked to remain anonymous.
In-game prop bets on two of Ortiz’s pitches that saw more action than normal during his starts against Seattle on June 15 and St. Louis on June 27 are the subject of the investigation. A betting-integrity company reported the gambling activity on the pitches and sent the information to Major League Baseball.
According to ESPN, sportsbook operators were recently alerted about Ortiz by the company IC360.
It was initially revealed by The Athletic that Ortiz’s suspension had anything to do with gambling.
Ortiz’s paid absence, according to MLB, will last until the conclusion of the All-Star break, when players report back to their teams on July 17 and play resumes the next day. If the probe continues, it may be prolonged.
Regarding the probe, MLB and the Guardians remained silent. On Wednesday evening, Ortiz made his way back to Cleveland.
Ortiz, 26, was acquired in a trade with Pittsburgh last December and is currently playing in his debut season with Cleveland. This season, the right-hander has made 16 starts and is 4-9 with a 4.36 ERA and 96 strikeouts. In the American League, the nine losses are tied for the most.
Ortiz has a 4.05 ERA, one save, and a 16–22 record in four major league seasons.
For Thursday night’s game against the Chicago Cubs, Ortiz was supposed to start as the pitcher. Rather, Triple-A Columbus will recall left-hander Joey Cantillo. Cantillo has made 21 appearances this season, going 1-0 with one save and a 3.81 ERA.
Cleveland (40-44) is 9-18 since May 1 and has lost six straight games, which is a season-high number.
A little over a year has passed since MLB penalized five players for gambling, including San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano, who was given a lifetime suspension. Ortiz is the subject of the inquiry. According to MLB, Marcano used a legitimate sportsbook to put 387 baseball wagers in 2022 and 2023, totaling over $150,000.
Three minor leaguers were suspended for a year: Philadelphia infielder Jos Rodriguez, Arizona pitcher, San Diego pitcher Jay Groome, and Athletics pitcher Michael Kelly.
In February, Major League Baseball fired umpire Pat Hoberg for purposefully erasing electronic messages related to the league’s investigation and for sharing his legal sports gambling accounts with a friend who bet on baseball games.
