Major League Baseball announces suspensions for sports betting violations

Major League Baseball placed Padres infielder/outfielder Tucupita Marcano on the permanently ineligible list on Tuesday for violating the league’s sports betting rules and policies. Four other players were suspended for one year for other gambling-related violations.

Athletics right-handed pitcher Michael Kelly was suspended for one year, as were minor league players Jay Groome (Padres left-handed pitcher), José Rodríguez (Phillies infielder) and Andrew Saalfrank (D-backs left-handed pitcher). The five players were disciplined for unrelated violations of the league’s gambling policy following an investigation by MLB’s Division of Investigation.

According to Major League Rule 21, “Any player, umpire, club or league official or employee who wagers any amount on a baseball game in which the bettor has a duty to perform shall be disqualified for life.” The rule also states that bets on baseball games “in which the bettor does not have a duty to perform shall be disqualified for one year.”

None of the five players participated in any of the games they had bet on, the league said in a statement. All of them also denied having any inside information related to the bets.

According to MLB, the betting data does not indicate that the outcomes of the games on which these players wagered were compromised, influenced or manipulated in any way.

“Strict enforcement of Major League Baseball’s rules and policies on gambling behavior is a critical component of our most important priority: preserving the integrity of our games for fans,” said Commissioner Rob Manfred. “The longstanding prohibition on betting on Major League Baseball games has been a core principle for over a century. We have made it clear that the privilege of playing baseball comes with the responsibility to refrain from certain behaviors that are legal for other people.”

“Since the Supreme Court decision opened the door to legalizing sports betting, we have worked with licensed sportsbook operators and other third parties to better position ourselves from an integrity perspective through the transparency that a regulated sports betting system can provide. MLB will continue to invest heavily in integrity monitoring, educational programs and awareness initiatives to ensure strict adherence to this fundamental rule of our game.”

None of the players appeal against the discipline.

The league’s investigations included interviews, a thorough review of available information on each case and extensive cooperation with MLB’s legal sports betting partners.

In March 2024, a legal sportsbook alerted MLB that it had identified past baseball betting activity from accounts associated with several major and minor league players. MLB received data, including betting authentication data, from this operator and other sportsbook operators.

Betting data shows that Marcano placed 387 baseball bets, including 231 MLB-related bets, through a legal sportsbook from 2022-2023. Marcano’s MLB bets were generally parlay bets. Some included multiple MLB-related legs. Others included both MLB-related legs and non-MLB legs.

In total, Marcano wagered more than $150,000 on baseball, including $87,319 on MLB-related bets. Of the MLB bets Marcano placed during that time period, 25 of those bets involved Pirates games while he was still a member of Pittsburgh’s major league club. However, Marcano did not appear in any of the games he bet on because he was on the injured list after suffering a season-ending knee injury on July 24 of last year.

Marcano played parts of three major league seasons (2021-23) with the Padres and Pirates, posting a slash average of .217/.269/.320 with five home runs. He has not played in an MLB game since injuring his ACL last July. He was claimed off waivers by the Padres last November.

The Pirates issued the following statement following MLB’s announcement: “We are extremely disappointed in Tucupita’s actions and fully support Major League Baseball’s decision. The Pirates are working with MLB, the Players Association and each club to ensure that everyone involved in our game is aware of the rules and policies regarding gambling. While the thorough investigation found no evidence that games were compromised, influenced or tampered with in any way in this case, protecting the integrity of our game is of the utmost importance.”

Kelly was found to have placed ten bets on nine major league games between October 5 and October 17, 2021, while assigned to the Astros’ Triple-A affiliate in Sugar Land, Texas. Kelly’s bets included outcome bets, over/under bets on the number of runs scored and on an individual pitcher’s strikeout total – three of those games involved the Astros’ major league club.

Kelly wagered a total of $99.22 on MLB games and won five of those bets, for a net profit of $28.30. He did not appear in any of the games he bet on, and he made no bets involving his team.

After MLB announced Kelly’s suspension, the A’s released the following statement: “The A’s were disappointed to learn of the matter involving Michael Kelly. While we cannot comment on the specifics, this violation occurred before Michael joined the A’s organization and we fully support MLB’s sports betting policy and the need to comply with all provisions of Rule 21. We will continue to educate all members of our organization about their obligations under the policy.”

Groome was found to have placed 32 MLB-related bets during the 2020-21 season, 24 of which involved the Red Sox major league club while assigned to the organization’s High-A affiliate in Greenville, South Carolina. All 24 of those bets involved the final outcome of games.

In total, Groome wagered $453.74 on 30 MLB games, suffering a net loss of $433.54. Groome did not attend any of the games he bet on, and he did not place any bets on his team.

Rodríguez placed 31 baseball bets during the 2021–22 season, including 28 MLB-related bets and three on college baseball games, all while on a minor league contract with the White Sox.

His MLB bets included seven involving the White Sox major league team while he was assigned to the club’s Double-A affiliate in Birmingham, Alabama. Two club-related bets were on the results, and the others were over/under bets on runs scored in the game.

Rodríguez wagered a total of $749.09 on baseball, including $724.09 on MLB-related bets. Rodríguez did not attend any of the games he bet on, and he did not place any bets involving his team.

Betting data shows that Saalfrank placed 29 baseball bets from 2021-22, including 28 MLB-related bets and one parlay bet on college baseball. He had a minor league contract with the D-backs at the time and placed all of his MLB-related bets — including four with the D-backs — while on the injured list of Arizona’s Single-A affiliate.

Saalfrank wagered a total of $445.87 on baseball, including $444.07 on MLB-related bets, for a net loss of $272.64 on those MLB bets. Saalfrank did not attend any of the games he bet on, and he did not place any bets on his team.

MLB requires its employees to attend annual sports betting training programs that explain the policies applicable to their respective groups. At each spring training, all major league and minor league players are required to attend in-person sessions that explain the requirements of Major League Rule 21 and MLB’s Sports Betting Policy, as well as other best practices.

MLB hosts a wide range of other English and Spanish language awareness programs that reach players early in their professional baseball careers, just before entering the Major Leagues, and at the start of each new season. MLB’s efforts also include one-on-one sessions for minor league players and other baseball personnel to help prevent gambling-related harm in their professional and personal lives.