Second player suspended due to MLB investigation into Ortiz case
On 28 July, the Cleveland Guardians baseball team confirmed on social media that it had suspended another pitcher from play in connection with Major League Baseball’s (MLB) investigation into the Luis Ortiz case. The league’s players’ association agreed to suspend Emmanuel Clase with pay. This move means that two of the team’s pitchers are now on paid leave due to alleged sports betting fraud.
According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, who first reported the suspension, Clase’s leave will last until 31 August, the same as his colleague Ortiz.
Ortiz’s suspicious pitches
In early July, as soon as MLB announced the start of the investigation, Ortiz was placed on paid leave without disciplinary action. Initially, his suspension was supposed to end after the MLB All-Star break, but the team extended it until the end of August due to the ongoing investigation.
Media outlets, including ESPN, reported suspicious betting activity on Ortiz’s first pitches in June games against the Seattle Mariners and St. Louis Cardinals. IC360, a betting monitoring company, recorded a sharp spike in activity on player accounts in New York, New Jersey, and Ohio and notified bookmakers and regulators.
At the time of , no details were available linking the bets to Emmanuel Clase. MLB said it would not comment until the investigation was complete. Clase is a three-time All-Star and the American League leader in saves for the past three seasons. Last season, he was nominated for the Cy Young Award.
MLB commissioner supports IC360’s efforts to protect betting integrity
During All-Star Week, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred stated that all recent investigations into suspicious activity in sports betting were the result of collaboration among MLB, clubs, bookmakers, and monitoring companies, including IC360.
“For a long time, we didn’t understand the threats that illegal betting posed to the integrity of the game – everything was opaque,” Manfred told the Associated Press. “Today, the legalisation of betting and partnerships with monitoring organisations provide transparency and control, allowing us to protect baseball better.”
The commissioner emphasised that he supports legal and regulated betting. However, he expressed concern about specific types of bets that are particularly vulnerable in the context of competition integrity. According to Manfred, bets on single actions, such as the first pitch, may not affect the outcome of the game, but they require rethinking: “Do we need these bets?”
Red Sox’s Lucas Giolito is concerned about abuse
Last week, Manfred spoke with Boston Red Sox pitcher Lucas Giolito about the growing problem of betting abuse. According to Giolito, Manfred was “stunned” by the scale of the threats and pressure players face.
“The situation is getting worse every year, every week, every day,” Giolito said on the Baseball Isn’t Boring podcast. “It’s become astronomical. I’m seriously concerned that one of the players could be attacked or even killed – gambling addiction destroys lives, and it’s impossible to predict how far a person in an extreme state might go.”
The player emphasised that threats can arise even after successful games – if his actions do not meet betting expectations, especially on prop bets. Giolito also said that his girlfriend regularly receives abusive messages from angry bettors.
MLB prepares to break attendance records
This summer, MLB is taking a bold step beyond its traditional stadiums by launching the MLB Speedway Classic championship. On 2 August 2025, the Atlanta Braves will play the Cincinnati Reds at Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee. This event will be the first regular-season game ever held in Tennessee, and it has already generated unprecedented interest: more than 85,000 tickets have been sold, and the event is expected to break the MLB single-game attendance record set in 1954.
It is not yet known whether there will be a limit on ticket sales, but officials have not ruled out the possibility that the game could draw up to 100,000 spectators. In addition to the game, the organisers have prepared a rich entertainment programme. And in honour of Bristol Motor Speedway’s racing heritage, both teams will take the field in unique uniforms featuring racing elements.
This article was first published in Russian on 29 July 2025.
