Bombshell Report: Jose Ramirez Accused of Betting on Himself to KO Tim Anderson in Iconic 2023 Brawl

In a stunning development that has rocked the baseball world, Cleveland Guardians star third baseman Jose Ramirez is under investigation for allegedly betting on himself to win his now-infamous 2023 fight against then-White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson — a scrap widely regarded as the most famous brawl in modern baseball history.

The altercation, which took place on August 5, 2023, at Progressive Field, quickly became legendary for its speed and savagery. After a hard tag at second base, tempers flared, gloves dropped, and Ramirez delivered a clean right hook that dropped Anderson to the turf in just three seconds, sending shockwaves across the sport and viral clips across every corner of the internet.

But according to an explosive new report from The Athletic, Ramirez’s right hook may have been fueled by more than adrenaline — it may have been financially motivated.

Sources say Ramirez placed a four-figure prop bet on DraftKings that he would “win the fight by knockout” should a physical altercation break out. The bet, suspicious in both specificity and timing, was reportedly placed using a burner cell phone registered under the alias “J. Braminéz.”

The report also alleges Ramirez coordinated the wager with none other than Ippei Mizuhara, the disgraced former Angels and Dodgers translator at the center of Shohei Ohtani’s gambling scandal. Mizuhara is said to have helped route the payment through international crypto wallets and advised Ramirez on “how to avoid DraftKings fraud detection protocols.”

Mizuhara reportedly told investigators he “thought it was just a friendly bet between two tough guys” and that he “didn’t think DraftKings even offered fight lines for baseball.”

This shocking revelation comes on the heels of a string of gambling-related issues surrounding the Cleveland organization. Earlier this summer, relievers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz were both suspended indefinitely after allegedly placing live bets on pitch outcomes during bullpen sessions.

The Guardians, who had no immediate comment on the specifics of the report, announced yesterday that Ramirez was placed on non-disciplinary paid leave “to allow time for due process.”

Ramirez issued a brief but defiant statement through his agent late Tuesday:

“I have never placed a bet on myself or on any baseball outcome. That said, everyone knows I knocked that man out clean in three seconds. I don’t need gambling money when I got lightning in my fists. Anderson’s chin just met the wrong day.”

MLB has not yet commented, but league sources indicate a formal investigation is underway.

As for Tim Anderson, sources close to the current free agent infielder say he was “not surprised in the slightest” and had “always wondered how DraftKings knew to release a KO prop that morning.”

In a season already riddled with gambling scandals and front-office chaos, this latest twist may be the biggest haymaker yet — and once again, it comes courtesy of the Cleveland Guardians.