Overview

• Major League Baseball has placed closer Emmanuel Clase and starter Luis Ortiz on non-disciplinary paid leave through August 31 as part of a confidential probe into suspicious in-game wagering patterns.
• Integrity monitors at IC360 identified an unusual surge in micro bets predicting Ortiz would throw a ball as his first pitch in two June starts, triggering spot-fixing concerns.
• Governor Mike DeWine formally urged the Ohio Casino Control Commission and the players unions of the six major U.S. leagues to support a ban on player proposition bets to prevent future integrity breaches.
• Ohio removed collegiate prop bets in February 2024 after bettors threatened student-athletes, but professional player props remained legal and accounted for a substantial share of the state’s $8.9 billion in sports wagers last year.
• MLB rules impose lifetime bans on players who wager on their own games, reflecting the league’s zero-tolerance stance following past suspensions such as Tucupita Marcano’s permanent ban.