Guardians Pitchers Placed on Leave in Betting Probe

Cleveland Guardians All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase has been placed on non-disciplinary paid leave as part of Major League Baseball’s ongoing sports betting investigation, joining teammate Luis Ortiz, who was also placed on leave earlier in the month over abnormal betting activity flagged by a betting integrity firm. The Guardians have stated that no additional players or personnel are expected to be impacted and are fully cooperating with MLB’s confidential process. Clase, a three-time All-Star with 24 saves and a 3.23 ERA this season, was placed on leave just ahead of the MLB trade deadline, ending speculation about a possible trade. The cases are part of a series of MLB gambling probes, including the recent lifetime ban of Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano and increased scrutiny following incidents like the Shohei Ohtani interpreter scandal. MLB has not disclosed further details, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation. The Guardians remain focused on their season despite these developments.