MLB is investigating San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano for allegedly betting on baseball games, according to a person familiar with the investigation. Marcano is under investigation for betting on Pittsburgh Pirates games last season while he was on the injured list, sources said. MLB issues a lifetime ban to players who bet on their own teams.
Four other players, whose names were not immediately available, may also be facing charges for betting on baseball while playing in the minor leagues, according to sources. News of the investigation was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.
“We are aware of an ongoing investigation by Major League Baseball regarding an issue that occurred while the player in question was with a different organization unrelated to the San Diego Padres,” the Padres said in a statement. “We will not be making any further comment until that investigation has been completed.”
MLB and the MLB Players Association declined to comment.
Baseball rules prohibit players from betting on MLB or minor league games. Rule 21 states that a player who bets on a team other than his own will be suspended for one year, and a player who bets on his own team will be banned for life from MLB.
MLB’s investigation of Marcano is the latest example of gambling’s infiltration into professional sports. Ippei Mizuhara, a former interpreter and manager for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, pleaded guilty to bank fraud in May for stealing nearly $17 million from Ohtani’s accounts to pay off gambling debts. In April, the NBA banned Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter from the league for betting on league games and leaking inside information.
The most famous example of a player being banned for life from MLB was all-time hit leader Pete Rose, after an MLB investigation found that Rose had bet on games while he was a player and manager for the Cincinnati Reds from 1985 to 1987.
Marcano, 24, has not played in a game since July 24, 2023 due to a torn right ACL. In 2023, he batted .233/.276/.356 with three home runs and 18 RBI.
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