Guardians' Luis Ortiz Subject Of MLB Gambling Investigation, Placed

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


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


The examination is associated to in-game prop bets on two pitches thrown by Ortiz that received greater activity than typical throughout his starts at Seattle on June 15 and his current trip against St. Louis on June 27. The gambling 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 first to report that Ortiz's suspension was related to betting.


MLB said Ortiz's paid leave is through the end of the All-Star break, when gamers return to their teams July 17 and games resume the following day. It can be extended if the investigation remains continuous.


Cleveland Guardians pitcher Luis L. Ortiz tosses toddler he Athletics during the seventh inning of a 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 game at the Chicago Cubs that the team can continue to have contact with Ortiz, but he can't enter 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 very little last night, but knew we needed to get somebody here today to begin today ´ s video game, and that really was our focus," Antonetti said. "A lot has come out today, and that ´ s even more info than we have.


"Our focus is we ´ ll let the investigative process play out. To the level Major League Baseball or anybody needs our assistance because, we will clearly work together. But beyond that, there ´ s truly very little we can do."


Manager Stephen Vogt said he and Antonetti addressed the group about Ortiz's scenario and attempted to answer questions the best they could.


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


"Honestly, when I got the news yesterday I didn ´ t understand how to feel," Vogt stated. "There ´ s so much unknowns with this, but you understand what? Every team goes through misfortune, perhaps different kinds, however this is a resilient group. I ´ ve been through circumstances comparable to this before in my career as a gamer, and what would I have desired to hear? How would I desire the supervisor to have reacted, and that ´ s what I ´ m attempting to do."


The 26-year old Ortiz remains in his 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 examination into Ortiz comes a little more than a year after MLB suspended five players for betting, including a life time ban for San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano. MLB stated Marcano put 387 baseball bets amounting to 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 1 year suspensions.


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


Freelance writer Matt Carlson in Chicago added to this report.