Two Cleveland Guardians pitchers are being investigated by Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC) for possible gambling-related offenses.
Pitchers Luis Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase were placed on leave by MLB as part of sports betting investigations, the league announced twice in July.
Concerns were voiced over Ortiz's in-game prop betting, as two of his pitches saw more betting activity than normal during starts on June 15 and June 18.
On June 27, IC360, a sports integrity monitoring firm that examines betting markets for unusual or unlawful conduct, raised red flags with Clase; nevertheless, it is unclear what exactly was alleged.
The regulatory agency responsible for monitoring and guaranteeing the integrity of gaming operations throughout the state, the OCCC, has declared that it has also opened an investigation.
Reports state that an independent investigation has started and will send a report to Commission members once it is finished. Depending on the offense, the OCCC has the power to enforce state laws, including criminal prosecution.
Microbetting, or placing bets on particular game occurrences, usually for smaller stakes, is becoming more and more popular. This would include markets for things like basketball shots, hockey shots on goal, and MLB pitch results.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine (R) called on leagues and players' unions to support his proposal last week to outlaw prop bets on professional sports.
"These particular one-actions, one-event-in-the-game that bets are being placed on, a lot of money at stake, I just think they’re really susceptible to abuse,” he said here. “And this is something that we don’t need.”
The all-star closer, Clase, was not traded despite being the focus of trade rumors prior to MLB's July trade deadline.
Tucupita Marcano, an infielder for the San Diego Padres, was the first of five MLB players punished for gambling in July of last year. MLB stated in its ruling that Marcano wagered over $150K on 387 baseball wagers with a legitimate sportsbook in 2022 and 2023.
The Oakland Athletics' Michael Kelly, the Padres' Jay Groome, the Arizona Diamondbacks' Andrew Sallfrank, and the Phillies' Jose Rodriguez were all suspended for a year for gambling-related offenses.
