Spanish
Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Republic Professional Baseball League (LIDOM) has decided to ban the registration of pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz for the 2025-26 season, after both players were implicated in a Major League Baseball (MLB) investigation for alleged involvement in sports betting.
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The information was confirmed on Monday night by journalist Enrique Rojas (ESPN), who indicated that the Estrellas Orientales received official notification from LIDOM, which states that neither of the two pitchers will be able to pitch during the winter season. For several weeks, MLB has been conducting an active investigation into Clase, belonging to the Cleveland Guardians, and Ortiz, a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates, who are currently on administrative leave while the process moves forward. Although there is no explicit provision preventing players under administrative leave from participating in winter leagues, the LIDOM commissioner's office would have chosen to take a preventive stance until the facts are clarified. Both pitchers had been training with the Estrellas Orientales, and in Ortiz's case, he was scheduled to open the inaugural game next Friday, October 17 against the Leones del Escogido. The unexpected decision forces the team led by Fernando Tatis Sr. to reorganize its starting rotation and look for substitutes to reinforce its pitching staff, where both Clase and Ortiz were key pieces. Sources close to the team confirmed that the Estrellas would be evaluating the possibility of appealing the measure, although everything indicates that LIDOM's decision will be maintained until MLB issues an official pronouncement on the case. The specialized media outlet Diamante Deportivo had already reported that the league was considering keeping the players out of the competition for reasons of sporting integrity.
