Veteran pitcher Luis Ortiz joined the Cleveland Guardians in a December trade from the Pittsburgh Pirates. File Photo by Archie Carpenter/UPI | License Photo
MLB is investigating Luis Ortiz and placed the Cleveland Guardians pitcher on nondisciplinary paid leave, the league announced Thursday. The Guardians said they were “not permitted to comment.”
MLB did not disclose the reason for the investigation, but said Ortiz will remain on leave through the end of the All-Star break.
Ortiz was to pitch for the Guardians against the Chicago Cubs on Thursday in Chicago. The right-handed pitcher has gone 4-9 with a 4.36 ERA through his first 16 starts this season.
Ortiz went 7-6 with a career-best 3.32 ERA over 37 appearances last season for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He went 16-22 with a 4.05 ERA over his first four seasons.
The 26-year-old pitcher joined the Guardians through a three-team trade, which also involved the Pirates and Toronto Blue Jays, in December.
Ortiz last pitched in a 5-0 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday in Cleveland. He allowed six hits and four runs over seven innings. Ortiz allowed just two hits and no runs, while issuing a career-high-tying 10 strikeouts over six innings in a 4-2 win over the Athletics on June 21 in West Sacramento, Calif.
The Guardians (40-44) are on a six-game losing streak and sit in third place in the American League Central, 12.5 games behind the division-leading Detroit Tigers (54-33).
They will face the Cubs (51-35) at 8:05 p.m. EDT Thursday at Wrigley Field. Left-handed pitcher Joey Cantillo is expected to start in place of Ortiz.
