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New York.– Major League Baseball announced this Sunday the indefinite extension of the administrative leave of Dominican pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, who are under investigation for alleged links to sports betting.
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The measure, taken jointly by the Commissioner's Office and the Players Association (MLBPA), implies that both players will remain off the diamonds "until further notice." Although it does not constitute a formal sanction, the decision keeps the immediate future of two arms that were a key part of the Cleveland Guardians bullpen in suspense. Class, 26 years old, considered one of the most dominant closers in baseball in the last decade and leader in saves in the American League in 2022, 2023 and 2024, was placed on leave on July 28, when he had accumulated 24 saves with an ERA of 3.23. In his absence, Canadian Cade Smith has taken on the role of closer, while Cleveland remains in the fight for a wild card. For his part, Ortiz, acquired from Pittsburgh in the past offseason, was removed from the roster on July 3, the very day he was to face the Cubs at Wrigley Field. MLB is investigating whether the right-hander influenced prop bets during games in which he pitched. Before the suspension, he had a 4-9 record with a 4.36 ERA in 16 starts.Although the license was initially extended until August 31, the fact that the organization cleared the lockers of both pitchers in the clubhouse fuels the perception that they will not play again for the remainder of the season, which concludes on September 28.
This episode adds to MLB's growing concern about the links between players and gambling, a year after the league suspended five players, including Venezuelan Tucupita Marcano, who was banned for life.
