Guardians pitcher target of sports betting investigation

Pitcher Luis Ortiz was scheduled to start for the Cleveland Guardians on Thursday against the Chicago Cubs. He may not return to the mound for the foreseeable future.

ESPN's Jeff Passan reported that Ortiz was under investigation by Major League Baseball and had been placed on paid leave. Ken Rosenthal and Zack Meisel of The Athletic later revealed that the cause was sports betting in violation of MLB's rules.

Ortiz's paid leave is currently scheduled to end on July 17 after the All-Star break. However, if the investigation is ongoing, his leave could be extended indefinitely until the league's probe is complete.

MLB conducted another investigation into sports betting in 2024. Padres utility infielder Tucupita Marcano was handed a lifetime suspension for sports betting, while four other players were suspended for a year. 

The Guardians acquired Ortiz as part of a pair of trades during the offseason. After sending second baseman Andres Gimenez and pitcher Nick Sandlin to the Toronto Blue Jays for infielder Spencer Horwitz and minor league outfielder Nick Mitchell, Horwitz was then dealt to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Ortiz and a few prospects. 

While Ortiz appeared to have a breakout season in 2024, he has been unable to build upon that success during his first season with the Guardians. 

He's posted a 4.36 ERA and 1.376 WHIP over 88.2 innings, striking out 96 batters with 42 walks. Ortiz leads the American League with nine losses as Cleveland entered Thursday with a disappointing 40-44 record, losers of six consecutive games.