The Cleveland Guardians' Luis Ortiz has been put on leave in connection with a reported betting investigation by Major League Baseball.
Cleveland announced on Thursday that Ortiz, a right-handed starting pitcher for the team, "has been placed on leave per an agreement with the Players Association due to an ongoing league investigation."
Ortiz was scheduled to start for the Guardians on Thursday night against the Chicago Cubs; now, left-hander Joey Cantillo is penciled in as the probable starter.
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) July 3, 2025
"The Guardians are not permitted to comment further at this time, and will respect the league's confidential investigative process," the MLB team added.
However, The Athletic reported on Thursday, citing sources, that Ortiz’s “non-disciplinary paid leave” would run through to the end of the All-Star break and was the result of an MLB investigation tied to gambling.
ESPN later reported that Ortiz was being investigated by MLB after integrity monitor IC360 sent an alert to sportsbook operators over two pitches in June thrown outside the strike zone.
Here we go again?
If that’s the case, it could mean another sports betting-related incident for the league and professional sports more broadly.
While supporters of regulated sports betting say such incidents show the system is working, as legalized wagering allows for easier and more transparent monitoring and reporting of suspicious behavior, others see the seemingly steady drip of scandals as a byproduct of legalization.
In a typical MLB season, more than 700,000 pitches are thrown. Two from Luis Ortiz had unusual gambling action on them, prompting an alert sent out and an investigation by Major League Baseball. From our story (https://t.co/Ib6FwBm5MH), here are the details on the pitches. pic.twitter.com/EBniWKT8gw
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 3, 2025
Just last year, MLB banned San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano for life for betting on his team. Four other players were hit with one-year suspensions at the same time for other gambling-related violations.
“The strict enforcement of Major League Baseball’s rules and policies governing gambling conduct is a critical component of upholding our most important priority: protecting the integrity of our games for the fans,” Commissioner Rob Manfred said last June in a statement. “The longstanding prohibition against betting on Major League Baseball games by those in the sport has been a bedrock principle for over a century. We have been clear that the privilege of playing in baseball comes with a responsibility to refrain from engaging in certain types of behavior that are legal for other people.”
