The specter of gambling is once again casting a long shadow over MLB. Notably, over the past two seasons, the league has already been jolted by high-profile disciplinary actions. If you remember, in 2024, Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano was hit with a lifetime ban after placing $150,000 bet on baseball games. That was a staggering breach of the sport’s most sacred rule. Then, in February 2025, MLB dropped the hammer on umpire Pat Hoberg. They terminated him for violating the league’s gambling policy in a move that shook the officiating ranks to their core.
And now, the sport finds itself standing on the edge of an even more volatile chapter. The focus has turned to the Cleveland Guardians, where an ongoing gambling investigation is building into what could become one of the most explosive scandals in recent MLB history. But unlike past cases, this one may not be confined to the league’s internal disciplinary system.
The whispers around the game are now amplified by ESPN’s David Purdum. He suggests that regulatory authorities outside MLB’s jurisdiction are circling, prepared to step into the fray. So, if those rumors prove true, the coming weeks could bring unprecedented rulings. It will be a test of baseball’s ability to police itself under the brightest and most unforgiving spotlight it has faced in decades.
“Ohio gambling regulators are drafting a rule to ban certain types of microbets, including on MLB first pitches. The proposed ban would be on “specific events within games that are completely controlled by one player,” not all player props, according to sources.” MLB insider handle Passanthallich quoted Purdum.
Well, the gambling investigations into the Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz are still underway. And now Ohio might be looking to crack down on the very types of bets that first set off alarms.
Reportedly, Ortiz, who’s been on leave since July 3, had two pitches from June flagged after unusually big wagers were placed on micro-bets tied to the first pitch of an inning. And both times, June 15 and June 27, bettors put a lot of money on Ortiz either throwing a ball or hitting a batter right away. Surprisingly, in each case, the first pitch sailed way outside the strike zone, hitting the dirt.
Matt Schuler, who heads the Ohio Casino Control Commission, told the group is now reviewing which micro-bets should even be allowed in the state. And if the reports are considered, new legislation limiting certain microbets is likely soon!
The Guardians took their action at the same time
While the investigation is ongoing, the Guardians stayed clear of the gambling scandal.
Reportedly, Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz are both on non-disciplinary paid leave as MLB continues its sports betting investigation. Ortiz was sidelined first, on July 3. And Clase followed on July 28, and both will remain on leave at least through August 31. And it’s looking unlikely either will pitch again for the Guardians this season, especially since their lockers were cleared out around the trade deadline.
The Athletic’s Zack Meisel has even made a bold call about what’s next for Clase and Ortiz as the investigation plays out.
“Look, I don’t want to speculate on what the investigation might end up proving or disproving. But there was a player banned from baseball a year ago, and it was much, much less than this.”
Well, Meisel isn’t pulling any punches. He thinks Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz have already thrown their last pitches in the big leagues. Well, baseball’s history with gambling is well-documented. You know, Pete Rose and the 1919 Black Sox scandal stand out as the most famous examples. And if you remember, both of those cases ended with lifetime bans for the players involved.
So, now with Clase and Ortiz under investigation, Meisel believes they could end up joining that infamous chapter of baseball history. Let’s see what the future awaits.
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