During the last two MLB seasons, there have been a regarding variety of gambling-related controversies. LA Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani was initially below suspicion of playing, earlier than it was revealed that his translator was behind the activity. Four minor league players additionally acquired a one-year suspension for sports activities playing in 2024. This year, two Cleveland Guardians pitchers have been under investigation for suspicious exercise that correlates with playing. One is nearer Emmanuel Clase, however the different is a former Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher, Luis Ortiz.
The Pirates dealt Ortiz to the Guardians as part of the package that netted the Bucs Spencer Horwitz throughout final offseason. Ortiz had made 16 begins and pitched 88 innings with the Guards earlier than he was positioned on depart on July 3. According to The Athletic, questionable betting exercise flagged by a betting-integrity agency raised crimson flags. Two pitches particularly stood out as suspicious: one on June 15 towards Seattle Mariners’ outfielder Randy Arozarena, and one other towards St. Louis Cardinals’ catcher Pedro Pages.
Ortiz has not acquired a suspension; nevertheless, his locker at Progressive Field, along with Clase’s, was reportedly cleaned out. The Pirates have a significantly regarding pattern on their fingers proper now: that is now the second season in a row they’ve had a former participant concerned in a playing controversy. Final yr, utility man Tucupita Marcano was given a lifetime suspension, the primary participant to get banned below MLB’s sports activities playing provision since Jimmy O’Connell 100 years prior in 1924. Pete Rose’s suspension didn’t come below this provision, provided that it was a mutual settlement.
Two former Pittsburgh Pirates caught up in severe playing controversies
Marcano reportedly positioned 387 bets. 231 of those bets had been MLB-related, with 25 involving the Pirates. The bets had been apparently positioned on the outcomes of video games when Marcano was on the injured checklist after he’d suffered an ACL harm that required season-ending surgical procedure in early August. Initially acquired within the deal that despatched Adam Frazier to the San Diego Padres, the Pirates put Marcano on waivers on the finish of the 2024 season, and he returned to the Padres. Marcano acquired his ban in early June whereas nonetheless recovering from his ACL surgical procedure.
One former Pirates participant concerned with playing is already regarding, particularly when that participant was inserting bets whereas nonetheless on the crew. It’s a unhealthy search for a company that has already had plenty of bad looks lately. However two years in a row? Even when Ortiz didn’t place bets on video games whereas he was a member of the Pirates, that’s a pattern that the Pirates must be involved about.
Hopefully, it was solely Marcano, and Ortiz doesn’t obtain a everlasting ban, neither is it revealed that he positioned bets on video games previous to getting traded to his new crew. One has to remain optimistic that the Pirates aren’t ever instantly affected by a participant’s actions like this. Regardless, the Pirates have now had two very current former gamers below investigation for playing two seasons in a row. It’s, on the very least, slightly worrying.
