Cleveland Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz has been placed on non-disciplinary paid leave by Major League Baseball amid an ongoing gambling investigation, the league confirmed.
The decision comes after Nevada-based IC360, which monitors sports gambling activity, flagged suspicious wagering on two of Ortiz’s pitches — first on June 15 against the Seattle Mariners and again on June 27 versus the St. Louis Cardinals.
In other words, there was significantly greater than normal betting interest in the pitches in question.
According to ESPN, the suspicious wagering occurred around his first pitch of the second inning against the Mariners and his first pitch of the third inning against the Cardinals. Both pitches were balls.
It didn’t take long for online sleuths to find video of the pitches in question.
Many state-sanctioned online sportsbooks allow prop bets on first pitches in specific innings.
Prop bets on whether a pitch will be a ball or strike are also called microbets.
Aside from possible corruption, microbetting could be more addictive than traditional sports bets. More than half of online sports bettors admit to at least one sign of problem gambling, according to the latest betting addiction statistics.
What We Know So Far
- The alerts originated from Ohio, New York, and New Jersey sportsbooks
- Ohio, New York, and New Jersey sanction online sports gambling
- Ortiz’s current leave extends through the All‑Star break, with the earliest return date being July 17, though it could be extended depending on the probe’s progress
- Ortiz, age 26, holds a season record of 4–9 with a 4.36 ERA in 16 starts for Cleveland
- At the time of the investigation, he was tied for the most losses in the American League
- His listed salary for the 2025 season is $782,600
- If found to have gambled on his performance, Ortiz could face a lifetime ban
- In 2024, MLB issued a lifetime ban to Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano for placing roughly 400 bets on baseball, the first ban of its kind since Pete Rose
Why MLB Gambling Investigation Matters
This is an obvious integrity issue for MLB, occurring amid increasing scrutiny following the Supreme Court’s 2018 ruling that paved the way for legalized sports betting nationwide.
MLB, along with other leagues, has forged partnerships with sportsbooks, which amplifies concerns over the potential for conflicts of interest and corruption.
Regarding problem gambling, it’s unclear whether addiction is involved with the Ortiz probe.
There is currently no indication that Ortiz has gambled on sports, let alone has a gambling problem.
That said, if MLB finds Ortiz to have gambled on the first pitches in question, it could raise concerns about problem gambling. Gambling despite potential negative consequences to a person’s career or personal life can be a sign of a severe problem.
What’s Next in Ortiz Gambling Probe
MLB’s investigation into the Guardians hurler, led jointly by the league and the MLBPA, remains ongoing.
We haven’t heard of any criminal investigation into Ortiz.
Ortiz remains barred from team facilities but is still under contract.
The Guardians are expected to continue cooperating with the investigation, though updates will likely be limited until the probe concludes.
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