Guardians have lost 2 pitchers to gambling probe. Here’s some background info – Terry Pluto

It’s always bad when you hear “the latest to be put on paid leave,” because that means someone else is in that scary baseball purgatory.

That someone is starting pitcher Luis Ortiz, who was placed on “paid leave” on July 3. There was supposed to be some clarity of Ortiz’s situation after the All-Star break.

That’s when MLB said it would take more time, and address the Ortiz investigation on Aug. 31.

Clase has been placed under the same Aug. 31 date for more clarification.

Why not bet on the suspension?

Heading into Monday night’s game, the Guardians were 3½ games out of a wild-card playoff spot. They were eight games behind the first-place Tigers in the AL Central Division.

What are the odds of either pitcher pitching for Cleveland again this season?

Yes, that “odds” pun was intended. MLB’s deal with legal gambling has allowed bets to be placed on almost anything to do with baseball. Ortiz is being investigated for throwing a ball (as opposed to a pitch over the plate) on a certain pitch to a certain batter in a certain inning.

That’s called a “microbet.” Don’t ask me to explain it.

But why not take bets on if Ortiz and Clase will be found innocent or guilty? How about setting a line on how long their suspension will last, assuming they are suspended?

Cynical? You bet (sorry, couldn’t resist).

Over the weekend, I published a Faith & You column about sports gambling. In Ohio, $7.7 billion was bet in 2023. It rose to $8.9 billion in 2024. In the first quarter of 2025, it was $3.5 billion – up 21% from the previous year.

I wrote that column last week, before the Clase story hit.

Gambling partnerships

But after all, bet365 is a partner with the Guardians.

The gambling site released this statement in 2023: “Everyone at bet365 is thrilled to partner with the Guards, as we launch the world’s favorite online sports betting brand in Ohio. The Guardians’ rich history is deep-rooted in the Cleveland community, and we’re excited to become part of their exciting future.”

This isn’t to pick on the Guardians. Gambling sites have partnered with nearly every major pro sports franchise.

MLB has a partnership with FanDuel. Here’s a statement from the 2023 deal:

“As one of the top sportsbooks in America, FanDuel has been an industry leader in innovative fan engagement opportunities while also reminding them of the importance of doing it responsibly,” said Kenny Gersh, MLB Executive Vice President, Media & Business Development. “These key priorities of unique fan engagement and responsible gambling align with our focus from the league level and make FanDuel a natural partner to collaborate with as an Official Sports Betting Partner.”

There you go.

What happens next?

Baseball’s stance has been that any MLB player betting on baseball will be suspended for life. Pittsburgh utility player Tucupita Marcano was given that suspension for betting in 2022 and 2023. There were no charges that Marcano actually played in any of the games where he placed bets.

He was making $720,000 in 2024 when the suspension hit.

Suppose the investigation determines Clase and Ortiz did indeed bet on baseball. Would they face a lifetime suspension? Perhaps.

Ortiz is on a $746,000 deal for 2025.

Clase is being paid $4.9 million in 2025.

His salary rises to $6.4 million in 2026.

He has team options for $10 million in 2027 and 2028.

So after this season, he has up to $26.4 million left on his contract. All of that could be in jeopardy.

None of these is to excuse the players. They know the rules and penalties for betting on baseball. It is pounded into them by their teams – and hopefully, by their agents and advisors.

Now, there’s the human element: Would you want these guys on your team, assuming they came back from a suspension of a year or two?

The only good news to come out Monday was in this Guardians statement: ”No additional players or club personnel are expected to be impacted” as MLB continues its investigation.

But it makes you wonder if this was going on with other teams. And how many of these “microbets” went undetected in the last few years?

This is a mess, and it’s likely not over.