Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano is below investigation by Main League Baseball for betting on baseball whereas a member of the Pirates, in line with a report from Jared Diamond and Lindsey Adler of The Wall Road Journal. Marcano is going through a lifetime ban. 4 different gamers are below investigation for betting on baseball whereas within the minor leagues as nicely, although the identities of these others aren’t recognized. The report provides that there’s no proof at this level of video games being manipulated.
Marcano, 24, was positioned on the injured listing by the Pirates in July of final yr and ultimately underwent surgical procedure to restore the anterior cruciate ligament in his proper knee. The Padres claimed him off waivers in November and he has been on the injured listing for all of 2024 up to now, nonetheless recovering from that surgical procedure.
Per the report from Diamond and Adler, Marcano “has been accused of betting on video games involving the Pittsburgh Pirates final season whereas he was on the injured listing for that crew.” Per the report, the league and the MLB Gamers’ Affiliation are nonetheless discussing Marcano’s final punishment however, as talked about, a lifetime ban is on the desk. Marcano, the league and the union all declined to remark for the piece, although the Padres launched a press release:
“We’re conscious of an energetic investigation by Main League Baseball concerning a matter that occurred when the participant in query was a member of one other group and never affiliated with the San Diego Padres. We is not going to have any additional remark till the investigative course of has been accomplished.”
Brian Warecki, Pirates’ senior vice chairman of Communications, additionally issued a press release, relayed by Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Put up-Gazette on X. “We’re conscious of the matter that’s below investigation and are absolutely cooperating. We are going to chorus from additional remark presently.”
As relayed by the WSJ piece, the league’s playing coverage is prominently displayed in all clubhouses. Baseball gamers are legally allowed to guess on different sports activities however not on baseball. A participant betting on groups apart from his personal faces a one-year suspension however betting on a sport involving his personal crew leads to a lifetime ban.
Playing scandals have been round virtually so long as baseball itself. Most famously, the “Black Sox Scandal” noticed eight members of the 1919 White Sox have been banned for all times after being accused of taking bribes from gamblers to throw that yr’s World Collection. MLB’s all-time hits chief Pete Rose additionally obtained a lifetime ban in 1989 after accusations that he gambled on the Reds throughout his time as a participant and supervisor.
Extra not too long ago, playing scandals have come again into the highlight, due to a 2018 Supreme Court docket choice that opened the door for states to legalize the observe. Ippei Mizuhara, the previous interpreter for Shohei Ohtani, is within the technique of pleading responsible to financial institution fraud and subscribing to a false tax return in relation to a playing scandal. So far, the proof of that case suggests he didn’t guess on baseball. Nevertheless, he did make bets with an unlawful bookmaker in California, the place sports activities betting continues to be unlawful. He’s alleged to have stolen thousands and thousands of {dollars} from an account in Ohtani’s identify with a view to repay his money owed. David Fletcher of the Braves can be below investigation for putting bets with the identical bookmaker as Mizuhara, although Fletcher isn’t accused of putting bets on baseball both. Playing has additionally been a difficulty in different sports activities, with Jontay Porter receiving a ban from the NBA for playing violations whereas enjoying for the Raptors.
Mizuhara and Fletcher each guess on different sports activities in a state the place it’s unlawful, whereas Mizuhara can be alleged to have dedicated a number of monetary crimes. MLB commissioner Rob Manfred mentioned these conditions final month and mentioned the league could be taking a hands-off method till the authorized course of performed out.
The Marcano state of affairs would seem like a special matter. If the accusations are confirmed to be true and he did certainly guess on the Pirates whereas a member of the crew, it might seem like a simple case the place a lifetime ban would be the outcome. Additional particulars on this case, and the instances of the opposite 4 gamers, will undoubtedly be forthcoming sooner or later.
