Two Pitches Raise Concerns
A potential sports betting issue has emerged in Major League Baseball (MLB) as ESPN’s David Purdum and Jeff Passan reported that the league is investigating Cleveland Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz. This scrutiny is due to two specific pitches that alerted a betting integrity firm.
The integrity watchdog, IC360, flagged a pitch Ortiz threw on June 15 against the Seattle Mariners and another on June 27 against the St. Louis Cardinals, notifying sportsbooks of the suspicious activities.
Some sportsbooks allow microbets on specific actions during a game, such as whether the next pitch will be a ball or a hit batter.
The league has placed Ortiz on “non-disciplinary paid leave” until July 17.
Questionable Intentions on the Mound?
Purdum and Passan reported unusual betting activity on Ortiz missing the strike zone on the first pitch of the second inning against the Mariners and the third inning against the Cardinals.
Internet detectives found the two pitches in question. Jomboy Media, recently partnered with MLB, shared these pitches online:
The first pitch scrutinized was thrown to the Mariners’ Randy Arozarena. Ortiz pitched a slider, which bounced low and outside the strike zone, seemingly ordinary but under investigation by the MLB.
It was nowhere near a strike.
The pitch against the Cardinals’ Pedro Pagés appeared more suspect now that it is identified as flagged. This second slider was significantly off-target.
The unusual betting alerts from IC360 led to this investigation, as isolated pitch analysis can be challenging.
Following a Recent Lifetime Ban
Thirteen months ago, MLB banned San Diego’s Tucupita Marcano for life due to gambling policy violations. He placed 231 bets on MLB games while with the Pittsburgh Pirates, including 25 on games involving his team while on the roster, though he didn’t play due to injury.
Marcano wagered $87,319 on MLB games, winning just 4.3% of his bets. The league found no game compromise from his activities.
During Marcano’s ban, four other players received one-year suspensions: Michael Kelly, Andrew Saalfrank, Jay Groome, and José Rodríguez, all reinstated last month. Only Kelly has returned to the major leagues.
- SCCG Management. The Gambling Industry’s Global Connector. Access Here.
- Source: SCCGManagement.com
