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Luis Ortiz’s absence comes at a challenging time for the Cleveland Guardians. The team is struggling with a 40-44 record and a six-game losing streak.
Luis Ortiz, Cleveland Guardians pitcher has been placed on non-disciplinary paid leave through July 17 due to an ongoing league investigation. Major League Baseball (MLB) made the announcement on Thursday (July 3). However, no specific details about the investigation have been disclosed by MLB or the Guardians organization.
Luis Ortiz' career
Luis Ortiz, a 26-year-old right-handed pitcher, has been a key part of the Cleveland Guardians’ starting rotation in his first season with the team. He was acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates in a three-team trade that sent second baseman Andres Gimenez to Toronto during the offseason. In his 2025 campaign, with a 4-9 record and a 4.36 ERA across 16 starts, Ortiz has logged 88.2 innings, striking out 96 batters while issuing 42 walks. His performance, while inconsistent, has made him an important part in a Guardians rotation that ranks 18th in MLB with a 4.13 ERA.
Ortiz’s journey to the majors is notable. Signed by the Pirates in 2018 at age 19, he progressed quickly through their minor league system. After debuting in 2022, he pitched 238⅓ innings over three seasons with Pittsburgh, maintaining a solid 3.93 ERA.
The MLB investigation and leave
The specifics of MLB’s investigation into Ortiz remain confidential, as both the league and the Guardians have declined to provide further details. The league’s statement emphasized that Ortiz’s leave is “non-disciplinary” and will extend at least through the All-Star break, which concludes on July 17, 2025.
During this period, Ortiz will continue to receive his salary and accrue service time but will not count against the Guardians’ 26-man or 40-man roster.
“The Guardians have been notified by Major League Baseball that Luis Ortiz has been placed on leave per an agreement with the Players Association due to an ongoing league investigation. The Guardians are not permitted to comment further at this time and will respect the league’s confidential investigative process,” the statement mentioned.
Impact on the Cleveland Guardians
Luis Ortiz’s absence comes at a challenging time for the Cleveland Guardians. The team is struggling with a 40-44 record and a six-game losing streak. Despite holding second place in the American League Central, they trail the division-leading Detroit Tigers by 12½ games. However, they remain just four games back of the third AL wild-card spot, keeping their postseason hopes alive.
Ortiz was slated to start against the Chicago Cubs on Thursday night at Wrigley Field, but left-hander Joey Cantillo, recalled from Triple-A Columbus, will take his place. Cantillo, who has a 3.81 ERA in 21 appearances this season, provides a temporary solution for the void.
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