Baseball

Auggie

(32,406 posts) Thu Jul 3, 2025, 03:47 PM Jul 3

Sources: Guardians' Luis Ortiz subject of gambling investigation

Cleveland Guardians right-hander Luis Ortiz is under investigation by Major League Baseball after a betting-integrity firm flagged a pair of pitches that had received unusual gambling activity, sources told ESPN on Thursday.

Sources said betting-integrity firm IC360 sent an alert in June to sportsbook operators regarding Ortiz, whom MLB has placed on "non-disciplinary paid leave" through July 17.

The alert, according to sources who reviewed it, referenced action on Ortiz's first pitches in select innings to be a ball or a hit batsman in two games: June 15 against the Seattle Mariners and June 27 against the St. Louis Cardinals. In both the bottom of the second inning against the Mariners and the top of the third inning against the Cardinals, Ortiz threw a first-pitch slider that was well outside the strike zone.

The alert on Ortiz's first pitches flagged bets in Ohio, New York and New Jersey. Betting on the result of first pitches is offered by some sportsbooks, with such wagers commonly referred to as microbets.

Full story: https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/45657609/guardians-luis-ortiz-mlb-investigation-placed-leave

Career ending, if true.

7 replies

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Highlight:

Sources: Guardians' Luis Ortiz subject of gambling investigation (Original Post) Auggie Jul 3 OP

That's all we need in The Land ..... Diamond_Dog Jul 3 #1

While It Could Be Bad. . ProfessorGAC Jul 3 #2

Financial statements? Phone records? Auggie Jul 3 #3

How Much Money Would Be Involved In Microbetting? ProfessorGAC Jul 3 #4

Good gravy! We are under .500. We soooo don't need this now. Capt. America Jul 4 #5

Here are the two pitches in question: True Dough Jul 4 #6

Flagrant IMO, especially vs St. Louis. Ortiz is aiming at the ground. Auggie Jul 4 #7

Diamond_Dog

(37,598 posts)

1. That's all we need in The Land .....

Reply to Auggie (Original post)

Thu Jul 3, 2025, 04:09 PM

Jul 3

ProfessorGAC

(73,557 posts)

2. While It Could Be Bad. .

Reply to Auggie (Original post)

Thu Jul 3, 2025, 07:38 PM

Jul 3

...I'm wondering how they prove this.
Pitchers miss the strike zone nearly 40% of the time. And Ortiz has walked over 140 guys in under 330 innings. Nearly 4 walks per 9 innings. Not exactly Greg Maddux.
He also hit 9 batsmen last year.
Yeah, he makes under $800k per year, so he's not fully resistant to money influence. Still I'm wondering how they prove a guy not known for control missed the strikezone on purpose.

Auggie

(32,406 posts)

3. Financial statements? Phone records?

Reply to ProfessorGAC (Reply #2)

Thu Jul 3, 2025, 08:19 PM

Jul 3

ProfessorGAC

(73,557 posts)

4. How Much Money Would Be Involved In Microbetting?

Reply to Auggie (Reply #3)

Thu Jul 3, 2025, 09:14 PM

Jul 3

And, wouldn't something like this be all cash?
I'm not absolving him, I just don't see this as anything but small change.
Obviously, you & I don't know exactly what triggers the flag for this betting integrity thing, but it might be some multiple of normal wagering, but 5x small change is still small change.
I guess I have a hard tine believing there are millions bet on whether a pitcher throws a first pitch strike or ball.
It occurs to me that sharps might have numbers showing he misses the strikezone more often in certain situations. That might mean he's not involved at all but is just a pitcher with poor control.
I guess we'll see.