Cleveland Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz had his non-disciplinary paid leave extended through Aug. 31 as Major League Baseball continues to investigate unusual gambling-related activity involving two of Ortiz's appearances on the mound.
Key Takeaways
- Ortiz’s non-disciplinary paid leave has been extended through Aug. 31 as MLB continues to investigate suspicious betting activity tied to two specific pitches he threw in June.
- Integrity-monitoring firm IC360 flagged unusual betting volume on first-pitch outcomes during Ortiz’s June 15 and June 27 starts.
- Commissioner Rob Manfred defended the legalized betting system, citing improved transparency and monitoring.
Ortiz was originally placed on leave on July 3. Although he has not been formally disciplined, he is currently barred from team facilities during the investigation.
"MLB and MLBPA have agreed to extend Cleveland Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz's non-disciplinary paid leave through games on Aug. 31 while MLB continues its investigation," Major League Baseball said in a statement.
The investigation around Ortiz was prompted by alerts from IC360, a firm that monitors sports betting integrity. According to multiple reports, sportsbooks flagged unusual betting volume on first-pitch outcomes during Ortiz’s June 15 start against the Seattle Mariners and his June 27 outing versus the St. Louis Cardinals. The suspicious wagers focused on whether the first pitch in certain innings would be a ball or a hit-by-pitch, and both flagged pitches landed far outside the strike zone.
The bets originated from accounts in New York, New Jersey, and Ohio, according to documentation reviewed by ESPN. While no evidence has been publicly presented linking Ortiz directly to any wrongdoing, the nature of the bets and their timing have raised enough red flags to warrant further scrutiny by MLB and its integrity partners.
Commissioner endorses regulated betting
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred addressed the topic of sports betting when he met with reporters during the All-Star Game festivities in Atlanta last week. Manfred said he remains bullish on regulated sports betting in the U.S. because of the compliance measures that ensure integrity and monitor illicit activities in this sport.
"I know there was a lot of sports betting, tons of it that went on illegally and we had no idea, no idea what threats there were to the integrity of the play because it was all not transparent," Manfred said. "I firmly believe that the transparency and monitoring that we have in place now, as a result of the legalization and the partnerships that we've made, puts us in a better position to protect baseball than we were in before."
Manfred did mention the possible need to examine the types of bets offered on baseball, highlighting microbetting as a potential threat.
“There are certain types of bets that strike me as unnecessary and particularly vulnerable,” he said. “And you know, things where it’s one single act, doesn’t affect the outcome necessarily. We should continue to think about that: do we really need that last kind of bet?”
A growing list of violations
The Ortiz incident follows a string of recent gambling-related issues in baseball. Last year, five players were suspended by MLB, including Tucupita Marcano, who received a lifetime ban for betting on baseball.
MLB umpire Pat Hoberg was also fired in February for sharing betting accounts and deleting evidence during an investigation. The Ortiz case underscores the league’s ongoing commitment to betting integrity and accountability, particularly as regulated sports betting becomes increasingly integrated into the sports landscape.
