San Diego Padres player Tucupita Marcano banned for life by MLB after betting on games
By Ben Morse, CNN
(CNN) — San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano has been banned for life by Major League Baseball for betting on baseball games.
As well as announcing Marcano’s punishment, the MLB also on Tuesday banned four other baseball players for a year apiece for violating betting rules.
According to an MLB investigation, Marcano placed 387 baseball bets, including 231 MLB-related ones, over two periods in 2022 and 2023 while he was a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates and while he was on the injured list. He gambled more than $150,000 on baseball, with $87,319 of that on MLB-related bets.
The MLB investigation found that 25 of those bets included Pirates games while Marcano was assigned to the Major League club.
The MLB probe found that “almost all of Marcano’s Pirates bets were on which club (the Pirates or their opponent) would win the game or whether there would be more or less than a certain number of runs scored in the game.”
The MLB investigation said that “there is no evidence to suggest — and Marcano denies — that any outcomes in the baseball games on which he placed bets were compromised, influenced, or manipulated in any way.”
In a statement sent to CNN, the Padres said: “We cannot comment on violations that occurred outside of our organization. We fully support MLB’s sports betting policy and the need to adhere to all provisions of Rule 21. We will continue to educate all members of our organization regarding their obligations under the policy.”
The Pirates said in a statement sent to CNN that it was “extremely disappointed of Tucupita’s actions and [the team is] fully supportive of Major League Baseball’s ruling.
“The Pirates, along with MLB, Players Association, and every Club, work to ensure all involved within our game are aware of the rules and policies around gambling. While the thorough investigation revealed no evidence of any games being compromised, influenced, or manipulated in any way in this case, protecting the integrity of our game is paramount.”
The four other players were banned for one year for betting on baseball games while in the minor leagues.
Those players are Oakland Athletics pitcher Michael Kelly, Padres minor league pitcher Jay Groome, Philadelphia Phillies minor league infielder José Rodríguez and Arizona Diamondbacks minor league pitcher Andrew Saalfrank.
The MLB said that none of the players are appealing their discipline.
According to MLB rules, a player found guilty of betting on baseball games involving teams other than their own are subject to a one-year suspension. A player gambling on their own team’s games will receive a lifetime ban.
“The strict enforcement of Major League Baseball’s rules and policies governing gambling conduct is a critical component of upholding our most important priority: protecting the integrity of our games for the fans,” MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement.
“The longstanding prohibition against betting on Major League Baseball games by those in the sport has been a bedrock principle for over a century. We have been clear that the privilege of playing in baseball comes with a responsibility to refrain from engaging in certain types of behavior that are legal for other people.
“Since the Supreme Court decision opened the door to legalized sports betting, we have worked with licensed sports betting operators and other third parties to put ourselves in a better position from an integrity perspective through the transparency that a regulated sports betting system can provide,” added Manfred.
“MLB will continue to invest heavily in integrity monitoring, educational programming and awareness initiatives with the goal of ensuring strict adherence to this fundamental rule of our game.”
Oakland pitcher Kelly was found to have placed 10 bets involving nine MLB games for a total of $99.22. He did not appear in any of the games on which he bet, and he did not make any bets involving his assigned team.
The A’s said in a statement they were “disappointed to learn” about Kelly’s betting infringements.
“While we cannot comment on the details, this violation occurred prior to Michael joining the A’s organization and we fully support MLB’s sports betting policy and the need to adhere to all provisions of Rule 21,” the A’s said in a statement.
“We will continue to educate all members of our organization regarding their obligations under the policy.”
Phillies minor leaguer Rodríguez placed 31 baseball bets, comprised of three bets on college baseball games and 28 MLB-related bets totaling $749.09.
The team said it was “disappointed to learn of the matter” involving their player.
CNN has reached out to the Diamondbacks for comment.
This story has been updated with additional information.
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