Former Guardians Player Gets Brutally Honest on Embattled Cleveland Pitcher

Cleveland Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz is currently under investigation by the MLB for alleged gambling, and he is on paid leave at the moment.

No one knows when — or if — Ortiz will return this season, and obviously, things aren't exactly looking rosy for the Guardians right-hander.

Former Cleveland cather Chris Gimenez offered his opinion on Ortiz, and let's just say he doesn't really have a very optimistic outlook on the 26-year-old.

“That was a big loss, don’t get me wrong," Gimenez said on The BIG Factor. "That guy's stuff is disgusting. Apparently, too disgusting, because he’s got himself in a little bit of hot water. I don’t know anything about the situation other than what we all know. We hope nothing nefarious is going on, but it kind of looks hard to believe that at certain times, depending on who you ask."

Ortiz had gone 4-9 with a 4.36 ERA while allowing 80 hits and registering 96 strikeouts over 88.2 innings of work before everything unfolded. He was actually somewhat of a disappointment for the Guardians this season, as they acquired him via trade over the winter hoping that he would serve as a consistent frontline starter in their rotation.

The Dominican native pitched to the tune of a 3.32 ERA over 37 appearances and 15 starts for the Pittsburgh Pirates last season, but his 4.25 FIP and 7.1 K/9 rate were relatively concerning. He has definitely struck more batters out in 2025, but his control (42 walks) has been an issue.

We'll see if any resolution comes regarding Ortiz for the rest of the way.

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