MLB Betting Investigation Leads to Guardians Clearing Lockers

The Cleveland Guardians have taken a clear step back from pitchers Luis Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase amid an ongoing MLB investigation into suspicious betting activity. On August 1, the team cleared out both players’ lockers without offering an official explanation.

Good to know

• Both pitchers remain on paid leave until at least August 31.
• The suspicious bets focused on first pitches, particularly those thrown far outside the strike zone.
• Ohio’s governor is now calling for limits on certain prop bets.

Ortiz was first placed on leave July 3, with Clase following on July 29. Though labeled “non-disciplinary,” the timing and context suggest growing concerns tied to the league’s probe. Betting irregularities were flagged by Integrity Compliance 360 (IC360), which monitors sportsbooks for fraud.

The firm identified a spike in wagers on specific micro-betting markets—like the outcome of Ortiz’s first pitch in the second inning on June 15 against Seattle. That pitch turned out to be a slider that missed by a wide margin. A nearly identical betting pattern occurred June 27 during another Ortiz appearance against St. Louis.

Similar red flags later surrounded Clase, a three-time All-Star. IC360 and others noted odd betting interest in his first pitches of ninth innings. Data from Foolish Baseball showed his waste pitch rate in those moments (17.5%) was far higher than his norm (5.2%).

If MLB finds that either player intentionally manipulated outcomes for bettors, they could face lifetime bans under Rule 21.

Clase’s leave came just before the July 31 trade deadline, disrupting what could have been a major move. Known as one of the league’s top closers, Clase had drawn interest from contenders. With other elite relievers like David Bednar and Jhoan Duran fetching strong returns, Cleveland may have missed a key trade opportunity.