Tag: Luis Ortiz

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: How will MLB control gambling in the sport?; Qualifying offers and reshaping free agency; plus more news

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Cleveland Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz leaves a Brooklyn federal courthouse Wed Nov 12, 2025 who is facing indictment charges for throwing certain pitches and taking bribes. (AP News photo)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 What are the biggest implications of the indictment of Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz for MLB’s integrity and its efforts to police gambling?

#2 With the deadline Tuesday to accept or reject qualifying offers, which players (like Kyle Schwarber) are most likely to decline, and how will that reshape the free-agent market?

#3 How significant is Shohei Ohtani’s unanimous NL MVP and Aaron Judge’s AL MVP win this year — particularly because they’re back-to-back, a historic first?

#4 What could be the long-term impact of the Astros’ Minute Maid Park being rebranded to Daikin Park, both from a business/sponsorship standpoint and for fan perception?

#5 What strategies should teams prioritize now as the offseason really ramps up (with owners’ meetings, free agency, non-tender decisions) to position themselves for the 2026 season?

Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.

While in the Bay Area, great food and great prices. 998cuba.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: A’s Kurtz and Braves Baldwin Rookies of the Year; Guardians Ortiz and Clase up on charges of taking bribes; plus more news

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Sacramento A’s Nick Kurtz is congratulated in the Sacramento dugout after slugging a two home run against the Cincinnati Reds at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento on Sun Sep 14, 2025. Kurtz was voted as the AL Rookie of the Year on Mon Nov 10, 2025. (AP News photo)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 Sacramento A’s first baseman Nick Kurtz was selected as the unanimous choice as the American League Rookie of the Year award winner. The National League winner was Atlanta Braves catcher Drake Baldwin MLB said on Monday night.

#2 Cleveland Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz showed up in federal court on Monday on charges that said he and teammate Emmanuel Clase were taking bribes set up in their native Dominican Republic in order to win bets based on pitches they threw.

#3 How bad does it have to get in MLB as bookies, sportsbooks and established betting parlors are now restricted to a $200 limit on betting on individual pitches and bets prohibited would be in parlays that will decrease any chances of manipulation according to MLB on Monday.

#4  Chicago Cubs right hand pitcher Kyle Hendricks won the ERA title and a World Series championship during his illustrious 12 year Major League career has announced his retirement. Hendricks, 35 finished his final season with the Los Angeles Angels with a 8-10 and a 4.76 ERA. Hendricks played his first 11 years with the Cubs.

#5 The San Francisco Giants brought back former manager Bruce Bochy as special advisor for both the baseball and business sides. Bochy had managed the Giants for 28 season as a MLB manager. Giants president Buster Posey hoping that Bochy can help get the Giants pointed back in the right direction as Bochy was hired on Monday.

Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.

While in the Bay Area, great food and great prices. 998cuba.com

  

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Cleveland Guardians Pitchers Indicted for Gambling

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Cleveland Guardian pitcher Luis Ortiz works the count on the Minnesota Twins line up at Progressive Field in Cleveland on April 30, 2025 (AP News photo)

Cleveland Guardians Pitchers Indicted for Gambling

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

When it comes to betting in professional sports, it looks like when it rains, it pours”. Now it’s MLB time. Just a few weeks ago, the FBI revealed its investigation into some NBA players and a coach of gambling during games, resulting in indictments and arrests of the defendants.

Now is Cleveland Guardians pitcher Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortíz turn who were indicted on charges of alleged gambling misconduct, manipulating bets on individual pitches. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of New York, announced the indictment on Sunday at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn.

Ortíz was arrested in Boston for alleged gambling misconduct, specifically manipulating bets on individual pitches. Emmanuel Clase, the closer for the Guardians, was not in custody as of Sunday, when the charges were announced and the indictment unsealed.

The Department of Justice has charged the pair with wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery, and money laundering conspiracy.

This is a developing story, and it is just in the top of the first inning…

Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.

While in the Bay Area, great food and great prices. 998cuba.com

MLB The Show podcast Jessica Kwong: MLB teams to pay tribute to Sandberg; Rays trade Fortes to Marlins; plus more MLB news

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Ryne Sandberg former Chicago Cub and Hall of Famer who passed away this week at age 65 is seen here taking a swing against the Cincinnati Reds on Wed Aug 29, 1984. MLB teams will be paying respects to Sandberg before games on Tue Jul 29, 2025 (AP News photo)

MLB The Show podcast Jessica Kwong:

#1 Hall of Famer and former Chicago Cub second baseman Ryne Sandberg passed away this week at the age of 64 from prostate cancer. Sandberg during his 16 year career hit .285, 2386 hits, 282 home runs, and 1061 RBIs.

#2 The Tampa Bay Rays traded with the Miami Marlins catcher Nick Fortes on Tuesday. This after the Rays sent catcher Danny Jensen to the Milwaukee Brewers. The Marlins got minor league outfielder Matthew Etzel. This is Etzel’s second year in a row being traded. The Rays got minor league infielder Jadher Areinamo part of the trade with the Brewers. The MLB trade deadline is on Thursday.

#3  Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez is relieved that X-rays retuned negative results of a fracture after he was hit in his right index finger by a 95.6 mph sinker pitch by Detroit Tigers pitcher Will Vest. Suarez after getting hit on Monday night doubled over and had to leave the field. On Tuesday Suarez said “I’ll come back as quickly as I can.”

#4 Last week during an annual meeting with one of the 30 teams that MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has with MLB teams he met with Philadelphia Phillies in the clubhouse after the first few minutes it was pretty smooth but when Manfred raised the subject of the game’s economics came up but didn’t use the words salary cap Phillies star outfielder Bryce Harper stood up and walked over to Manfred and said “If you want to speak about that, you can get the f— out of our clubhouse.” Which Manfred replied, “not going to get the f— out of here,” the Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos then tried to intervene saying, “I have more questions.” Harper and the Players Association are dead set against a cap and are prepared to stay out of the 2027 season if there is a salary cap and the owners are prepared to lock the players out for as long as it takes if there is no salary cap,

#4 Framber Valdez’s frustrations came out when he questioned the defensive positioning regarding a sixth inning play on Monday night that led to the Astros coughing up a run in a 2-1 loss against the Washington Nationals. Valdez said through a Spanish interpreter, “I saw the right fielder playing center field and, you know, we have a center fielder for that, “I feel like the right fielder should have been playing right field. I was uncomfortable with that.” The Astros had also lost a four game series to the last place Sacramento A’s before playing the Nationals.

#5 Cleveland Guardians pitcher closer Emmanuel Clase is under investigation for sports gambling and has been place on non-disciplinary leave through Aug 31st. Clase is the second Guardian to go under non-disciplinary leave due to gambling allegations. The other pitcher Luis Ortiz is on non-disciplinary leave he is being investigated for throwing two pitches for balls that are allegedly connected to gambling activity.

Jessica Kwong does MLB The Show podcasts every other Wednesday night at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

MLB The Show Charlie O: With the recent accusations of gambling in baseball are the games tainted?

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Cleveland Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz has been placed on non-disciplinary leave involving gambling on baseball. Ortiz is part of a investigation and was accused of gambling activity on pitches thrown on June 15, 2025 in Seattle and against the St Louis Cardinals on June 27, 2025. In this photo Ortiz is pitching against the Sacramento A’s on Sat Jun 21, 2025 in West Sacramento (AP News photo)

MLB The Show Charlie O:

#1 With the suspension of Cleveland Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz for gambling on the game is this a trend that is rising or is this something that has been going on in baseball for sometime now.

#2 Ortiz was accused of throwing pitches for wide ones or walking hitter, giving up hits that he had bet on what’s your take on those accusations.

#3 Charlie you have to look back on former Pittsburgh Pirate Tucupito Marcano who was permanently banned from MLB for betting on his own team last season. Marcano bet on 25 Pirates games that he didn’t play in. It also was reported that he bet on 400 MLB games.

#4 With the suspensions of both Ortiz and Marcano and it can go the other way where betters can get upset like one did overseas and threaten Houston Astros pitcher Lance McCullers Jr for losing a game. How much are these games authentic and which games are thrown?

#5 With the MLB’s association with gambling sponsorships which include high profile on line betting organizations like Draft Kings and Fan Duel to name two high profile on line gambling places where players can bet on baseball does that leave it things wide open for players to wager themselves?

Join Charlie O for MLB The Show podcasts each Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com