LAS VEGAS (AP) — Cleveland Guardians executive Chris Antonetti is sticking with the same approach that he adopted when pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz were placed on non-disciplinary paid leave
in July.
Days after Clase and Ortiz were indicted on charges they took bribes from sports bettors to throw certain types of pitches to ensure successful proposition bets, Antonetti is focused on helping the Guardians return to the playoffs.
“I think from the very beginning, I just tried to understand what do we need to do next and what’s the next best thing to do?” Antonetti said Wednesday at Major League Baseball’s general managers meetings.
“Obviously, there are lots of things outside of our control at this point. What we’re trying to do is focus on what we can and that’s build the best Cleveland Guardians team we can.”
Ortiz pleaded not guilty on Wednesday, and both players have maintained their innocence through their attorneys. Bettors allegedly made at least $460,000 off the rigged pitches.
In reaction to the scandal, MLB worked with its sports-betting partners to impose a $200 limit on so-called micro bets and to remove them from parlays.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has called for the Ohio Casino Control Commission to end player-specific micro betting entirely.
“I realize it's a really complicated issue,” said Antonetti, the president of baseball operations for the Guardians. “I'm grateful for the efforts by Major League Baseball and Gov. DeWine to try to find some way to address what seemed to be a problem, so hopefully that's a step in the right direction.”
Prop bets are also at the center of a scandal in the NBA. Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier was arrested Oct. 24 and accused of providing inside information on teammates’ injuries to gamblers and removing himself prematurely from a game.
Team officials at this week's GM meetings said they weren't sure if more needed to be done to raise awareness of baseball's gambling regulations, pointing out that the rules are posted in each clubhouse.
“We have those conversations, a lot of them,” Arizona Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen said. “It's not something that is ignored or isn't addressed repeatedly. How many times do you do it? I don't know what the answer is to that.”
Agent Scott Boras said every player will be scrutinized even more in the aftermath of baseball's latest gambling scandal, and he advocated eliminating prop bets altogether.
“I think for the players, the concern they have is for their integrity,” Boras said. “It raises the question when a player is out on the mound and throws a pitch that goes 55 feet. You have to create a system that does not allow such a bet. ... You have to remove those products to make sure the integrity of the players isn't questioned.”
The Athletics had their own recent experience involving a player and sports betting. Reliever Michael Kelly and three other players were reinstated June 5 after a yearlong suspension for betting on baseball while in the minor leagues. All four received the same punishment for betting less than $1,000 each.
The A's, who recently finished the first of three scheduled seasons in West Sacramento, California, plan to move to Las Vegas in 2028.
“Can’t help but think a team in Las Vegas will have even more in the spotlight on it, and hopefully all the guys are educated on avoiding it,” A's GM David Forst said. “We had Michael Kelly in the clubhouse with a year's suspension, and we're very aware of those things.”
Playing without Clase — a three-time All-Star closer — and Ortiz, Cleveland rallied from a 15 1/2-game deficit in July to catch Detroit and win the AL Central. The Guardians were eliminated by the Tigers in the first round of the playoffs.
“We didn't have either guy available to pitch for us,” Antonetti said. “So we had to figure out how to make it (work).”
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