Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz placed on leave due to MLB investigation
The league did not specify what the investigation was about, but said in a statement Ortiz "has been placed on non-disciplinary paid leave through the end of the All-Star break."
The Guardians also issued a statement declining to comment on specifics, saying only the club "will respect the league's confidential investigative process."
Ortiz, 26, is in his first season with the Guardians after being acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates over the winter. In 16 starts with Cleveland, Ortiz has a 4-9 record and 4.36 ERA.
The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox Sports
14 minutes ago
- Fox Sports
Cubs break franchise record with 8 home runs, 3 by Michael Busch
Associated Press CHICAGO (AP) — Michael Busch and the Chicago Cubs turned their holiday into a home run. Eight of them, to be exact. Busch hit three longballs, Pete Crow-Armstrong connected twice and the Cubs went deep a franchise-record eight times to hammer the St. Louis Cardinals 11-3 on Friday for their fourth straight victory. 'It was just a fun game to be a part of,' Busch said. 'Baseball is kind of a July Fourth kind of deal and especially to do it in Wrigley Field and have just so much excitement in the game — that was one I'll never forget.' The fireworks started long before sunset in front of 40,038 fans at Wrigley. Busch went 4 for 4 with five RBIs in his first career three-homer performance and second multihomer game. His second drive of the day hit the right-field video board, just after Crow-Armstrong reached it. 'I think that's the little side effect of baseball,' Busch said. "You get in there just trying to have good at-bats and try to win the game, but when things like that happen, it's cool. 'You grow up dreaming of playing in the big leagues and to be able to do it and then, you know, to stitch your name in the Chicago Cubs record books is pretty cool.' The eight longballs allowed by St. Louis also broke a club mark. The 27-year-old Busch has rounded into a reliable everyday first baseman for the Cubs following a January 2024 trade from the Dodgers that largely went under the radar. He came to Chicago with right-hander Yency Almonte in a deal that sent prospects Jackson Ferris and Zyhir Hope to Los Angeles. Busch played 152 games last season for the Cubs, batting .248 with 21 homers and 65 RBIs. This year, he's upped his average to .288 with 17 homers and 55 RBIs in 82 games. 'He's turned into a really great offensive player,' manager Craig Counsell said. 'Last year it felt like there was kinds of ups and downs during the season. And this year, you know, he has lengthened the ups and shortened the downs.' Crow-Armstrong also went 4 for 4 and Dansby Swanson launched a two-run homer for Chicago. Seiya Suzuki and Carson Kelly added solo shots as the NL Central leaders hit six homers in the first three innings off Miles Mikolas (4-6), a record for most home runs off a Cardinals pitcher in one game. "We just did an extremely good job at being aggressive in the zone and it was just kind of our day," Busch said. 'You know, we don't really miss in the zone and I think when that happens, we're a very scary ballteam." ___ AP MLB: recommended
Chicago Tribune
25 minutes ago
- Chicago Tribune
Chicago Cubs set a franchise record with 8 homers in 11-3 rout — but Jameson Taillon is out at least a month
The Chicago Cubs celebrated the Fourth of July by putting on the biggest fireworks display in franchise history. The Cubs hit a team-record eight home runs Friday — led by three from Michael Busch and two from Pete-Crow Armstrong — as they rolled to an 11-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals in the opener of a three-game series at Wrigley Field. 'It was just a fun game to be a part of,' Busch said. 'Baseball on July 4th, and especially to do it at Wrigley Field, to get out of here with a win and have so much excitement in the game, that's one game I'll never forget.' Seiya Suzuki, Dansby Swanson and Carson Kelly also homered for the Cubs (53-35) on a day that turned out to be historically sweet after starting on a sour note. Before the game, the Cubs placed starting pitcher Jameson Taillon on the 15-day injured list with a right calf strain, and manager Craig Counsell said he expects Taillon to be out 'more than a month.' Jordan Wicks was recalled from Triple-A Iowa. Taillon's injury will again test the depth of the Cubs pitching staff, just eight days after they got lefty Shota Imanaga back from a hamstring injury that sidelined him for nearly two months. Of course, it would help if the Cubs can continue to swing the bats with anywhere near the effectiveness they did Friday. The eight home runs, which included six off Cardinals starter Miles Mikolas, featured three instances of the Cubs going back to back. Suzuki and Crow-Armstrong did it in the first, Busch and Kelly in the second and Swanson and Busch in the seventh. Crow-Armstrong and Busch both blasted balls off the right-field video board in the third as well. After Swanson tied the franchise record with the seventh homer of the day, Busch broke it five pitches later. Busch, who is up to 17 homers on the season, became the first Cub to hit three in a game since Rafael Ortega against the Washington Nationals on Aug. 1, 2021. 'He's turned into, really, a great offensive player,' Counsell said of Busch. 'Last year it felt like there were ups and downs during the season. This year he's lengthened out the ups and shortened the downs, essentially, and you end up with what you've seen. 'It's a good hitter who's continuing to get better.' Busch and Crow Armstrong each went 4-for-4 as Crow-Armstrong raised his season total to 23 home runs, one behind Suzuki's team-high 24. Crow-Armstrong said the team expects to have offensive success on a daily basis. The Cubs rank second in the majors with 475 runs, trailing only the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, who had 494 entering Friday. 'Day in, day out, watching people's processes and how they dig themselves out of little holes and all that, it's nice to be able to join in on other people's successes,' Crow-Armstrong said. 'It's really easy to appreciate what we're doing right now. This is the best offense I've ever been a part of — ever seen.' It was the rivals' first meeting since a 3-0 Cubs win June 26 in St. Louis that ended with the benches clearing after closer Daniel Palencia and former Cub Willson Contreras exchanged words. Contreras was upset after getting hit by a pitch in the ninth inning. Contreras, who apologized after that game, received a fair number of boos from the crowd before each at-bat Friday as he went 0-for-3. While the Cubs were piling up runs, the Cardinals (47–42) — who had been shut out in three straight games by the Pittsburgh Pirates — managed just one hit through eight innings before scoring twice in the ninth on two hits with infielder Jon Berti on the mound for the Cubs. Colin Rea (6-3) went 6⅔ innings for the win, allowing only Brendan Donovan's homer in the fourth. Rea's strong outing was especially important ahead of what's expected to be a bullpen day Saturday in the wake of the injury to Taillon, who had been scheduled to start. Drew Pomeranz will be the opener. Going forward, Counsell said the Cubs could use Chris Flexen as a starter. Flexen made 30 starts for the Chicago White Sox last season and has revitalized his career in the Cubs bullpen this year, going 5-0 with an 0.62 ERA. Counsell also noted the upcoming All-Star break will give the team short-term flexibility with its pitching staff. As for Friday, though, there was plenty to celebrate. Busch, Crow-Armstrong, Suzuki, Swanson and Kelly posed for a postgame photo to mark the record occasion. 'You grow up dreaming of playing in the big leagues, and then to be able to get your name in Chicago Cub record books is pretty cool,' Busch said. 'I'm going to need to get that photo signed by all those guys.'
Fox Sports
44 minutes ago
- Fox Sports
Raleigh hits Nos. 34 and 35 to match Griffey's Mariners record for HRs before All-Star break
Associated Press SEATTLE (AP) — Cal Raleigh hit his 34th and 35th home runs to set a career high and match Ken Griffey Jr.'s Seattle record for homers before the All-Star break, helping the Mariners beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-0 on Friday The major league leader turned on a fastball from Bailey Falter (6-4) in the first inning and walloped it well past the wall in left. The exit velocity on the two-run shot was logged at 115.2 mph, per Statcast — the hardest-hit ball of his career. Raleigh topped his previous career high — set last season — in the sixth with a solo shot that chased Falter. The Mariners only mustered one other hit off the left-hander, but it was also a home run courtesy of Randy Arozarena in the fourth inning. Mariners starter Bryan Woo (8-4) went six innings. Key moment The Pirates came a few inches away from taking a 2–0 lead in the first inning when Oneil Cruz lofted a pop-up toward no man's land in left field. Arozarena made an improbable catch to end the inning and strand two Pittsburgh runners. Key stat Woo has worked at least six innings all 17 starts this season. Up next Seattle RHP Luis Castillo (4-5, 3.55) was set to start Saturday against RHP Mike Burrows (1-2, 4.15). ___ AP MLB: recommended
