Sports betting has surged in recent years, and with it, various issues have emerged across multiple sports-often involving key figures. Now, Cleveland Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz is under investigation by Major League Baseball due to rare and unusual betting activity related to two of his pitches. The issue surfaced after an integrity monitoring firm flagged the incidents.
The firm, IC360, issued two alerts to sports betting operators specifically concerning Luis Ortiz. In response, the league placed the pitcher on unpaid administrative leave until July 17 as the investigation continues.
The alerts regarding Luis Ortiz’s pitches
The first alert was issued on June 15 during a game between the Cleveland Guardians and the Seattle Mariners. It involved Ortiz’s first pitch in the bottom of the second inning, which was expected to result in either a ball or a hit-by-pitch. Ortiz delivered a slider that missed the strike zone by a considerable margin.
The second alert came on June 27, during a game against the St. Louis Cardinals. It concerned Ortiz’s first pitch in the top of the third inning, which again ended up being a ball or a hit-by-pitch. This time, the Cleveland pitcher opened with a hard slider that was also clearly out of the strike zone.
Betting patterns flagged
These specific pitches triggered betting activity in New Jersey, Ohio, and New York. These so-called “microbets”-wagers placed on small, individual moments within a game-are offered by certain sportsbooks.
Ortiz’s current leave of absence is part of an agreement between MLB and the MLB Players Association. Should the investigation persist, the leave could be extended.
Ortiz had originally been scheduled to start tonight’s game against the Chicago Cubs.
The Guardians have been notified that Luis Ortiz has been placed on administrative leave under the joint agreement with the Players Association due to an ongoing league investigation,”… “The Guardians are not authorized to comment further at this time and will respect the league’s confidential investigative process.
The team said in a statement.
A familiar precedent
Ortiz’s suspension brings to mind the case of Tucupita Marcano of the San Diego Padres, who was banned for life from MLB just a year ago after making nearly 400 bets on baseball.
Other players from the minor leagues have also faced penalties for betting on the sport. MLB even suspended umpire Pat Hoberg-regarded as one of the league’s best in calling balls and strikes-after it was discovered he had shared a legal betting account with a friend who wagered on baseball, and later deleted key messages relevant to the investigation.
The loss of Luis Ortiz comes at a difficult time for the Guardians, who have dropped six consecutive games and currently sit with a 40-44 record. Cleveland remains in second place in the American League Central, trailing the division-leading Detroit Tigers by 12.5 games.
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