Cleveland Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz was placed on non-disciplinary leave on Thursday due to a gambling investigation by Major League Baseball, two people with knowledge of the investigation told The Associated Press.

The people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity due to the nature of the investigation.

The investigation is related to in-game prop bets on two pitches thrown by Ortiz that received higher activity than usual during his starts at Seattle on June 15 and his recent outing against St. Louis on June 27. The gambling activity on the pitches was flagged by a betting-integrity firm and forwarded to MLB.

ESPN reported the firm IC360 recently also sent an alert to sportsbook operators regarding Ortiz.

The Athletic was the first to report that Ortiz’s suspension was related to gambling.

MLB said Ortiz’s paid leave is through the end of the All-Star break, when players return to their teams July 17 and games resume the following day. It can be extended if the investigation remains ongoing.

Nationals’ Wood joins Home Run Derby >> Washington Nationals outfielder James Wood became the third player to announce he will take part in the Home Run Derby.

The derby will be held on July 14, the night before the All-Star Game, at Truist Park in Atlanta. Wood joins Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. and Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, who leads the majors with 33 homers, in the contest.

Wood has 22 homers this season. He’s the third Nationals player to take part in the Home Run Derby, joining Juan Soto (2022) and Bryce Harper (2013 and ‘18).

Astros slugger Alvarez has inflammation >> Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez’s setback to his recovery from a fractured right hand is not as serious as first feared, general manager Dana Brown said.

Alvarez, who suffered the injury on May 2, was shut down after experiencing pain in his right hand. He had taken some swings at the team’s spring training complex in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Monday and when he arrived there on Tuesday the area was sore.

He was examined by a specialist, who determined inflammation was the issue and not a setback with the fracture.

Boxing

César Chávez Jr. arrested and will be deported >> Famed Mexican boxer Julio César Chávez Jr. has been arrested for entering US illegally and will be deported to Mexico, where he faces organized crime charges, federal officials said.

The arrest comes only days after the former middleweight champion fought in a match against Jake Paul in Anaheim.

The Department of Homeland Security said Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers detained Chávez for overstaying a tourist visa that expired in February 2024 after he entered the country in August 2023.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services flagged ICE about Chávez last year, saying he “is an egregious public safety threat,” and yet he was allowed back into the country Jan. 4 of this year, the agency said.