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Cleveland Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz is under investigation by MLB and has been placed on paid leave as the investigation is conducted.
According to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and Zack Meisel, the investigation centers on gambling.
“Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz has been placed on “non-disciplinary paid leave” through the end of the All-Star break as a result of an MLB investigation, with multiple sources telling The Athletic that the probe is related to gambling,” they wrote. ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan posted on X, formerly Twitter, that a source confirmed that Ortiz's investigation is for gambling.
In a statement posted on X, the Guardians said they had “been notified by Major League Baseball that Luis Ortiz has been placed on leave per an agreement with the Players Association due to an ongoing league investigation,” and that they “are not permitted to comment further at this time, and will respect the league's confidential investigative process.”
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) July 3, 2025
The Guardians acquired Ortiz, 26, in December from the Pittsburgh Pirates as part of a deal that sent Spencer Horwitz to Pittsburgh. So far this season, his fourth in MLB, Ortiz has started 16 games and recorded a 4.36 ERA, ERA+ of 95, 4.14 FIP, and 1.376 WHIP. He is 4-9, a year after a season in which he started 15 games, went 7-6, and recorded career-bests in nearly every statistical category.
Ortiz is just the latest professional athlete to be the subject of a gambling investigation in pro sports. NBA player Malik Beasley, most recently of the Detroit Pistons, was recently reported to have been under federal investigation by a U.S. District Attorney for allegedly gambling; MLB superstar Shohei Ohtani's former translator, Ippei Mizuhara, was sentenced to 57 months in prison after pleading guilty to charges brought by the US government related to an illegal gambling operation last year; and Jontay Porter, the younger brother of Michael Porter Jr., was banned for life by the NBA in April 2024 after it said Porter “violated league rules by disclosing confidential information to sports bettors.”
Unless the paid leave is extended, Ortiz would be eligible to return in about two weeks; the MLB All-Star Game is set for July 15. However, it is likely Ortiz, who was scheduled to start the Guardians' road series finale vs. the Chicago Cubs tonight, could be out for a while longer if the investigation needs more time. Joey Cantillo will start tonight in place of Ortiz.
A native of the Dominican Republic, Ortiz was initially signed as an international free agent by the Pirates for a signing bonus reported to be $25,000 in 2018 before making his MLB debut in September 2022.
