MLB gambling scandal: Padres infielder banned for life

NEW YORK —Major League Baseball announced Tuesday that following investigations by its Department of Investigations, disciplinary action has been taken against Major League players Tucupita Marcano (San Diego Padres infielder/outfielder) and Michael Kelly (Oakland Athletics pitcher); and Minor League players Jay Groome (Padres pitcher), José Rodríguez (Philadelphia Phillies infielder) and Andrew Saalfrank (Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher) for unrelated violations of MLB’s sports betting rules and policies. MLB’s investigations included interviews, thorough review of the available information in each matter, and significant cooperation from MLB’s legal sportsbook partners, according to a media release.

In March 2024, MLB learned from a legal sports betting operator that it had identified past baseball betting activity from accounts connected to multiple Major and Minor League players. MLB obtained data from that operator and other sportsbooks, including authentication data for bets. None of these players played in any game on which they placed a bet. Further, all of the players denied that they had any inside information relevant to the bets or that any of the baseball games they bet on were compromised or manipulated, and the betting data does not suggest that any outcomes in the baseball games on which they placed bets were compromised, influenced, or manipulated in any way. None of the players are appealing their discipline.

Under Major League Rule 21, “Any player, umpire, or Club or League official or employee, who shall bet any sum whatsoever upon any baseball game in connection with which the bettor has no duty to perform, shall be declared ineligible for one year.” Whereas, “Any player, umpire, or Club or League official or employee, who shall bet any sum whatsoever upon any baseball game in connection with which the bettor has a duty to perform, shall be declared permanently ineligible.”

Commissioner of Baseball Robert D. Manfred, Jr. said: “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. 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. 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.”

The following players have been disciplined for violating Major League Rule 21 and the Major League or Minor League sports betting policy applicable to them at the time of their bets:

San Diego Padres Major League infielder/outfielder Tucupita Marcano has been declared permanently ineligible for violating MLB’s sports betting rules and policies, including Rule 21(d)(2).

1. Betting data shows that from October 16, 2022 through October 23, 2022, and from July 12, 2023 through November 1, 2023, Marcano placed 387 baseball bets, including 231 MLB-related bets among other bets on international baseball games through a legal sportsbook. Marcano’s MLB bets were generally parlays, which would sometimes include multiple MLB-related legs, and they would sometimes include MLB-related legs and non-MLB legs.
2. In total, Marcano bet more than $150,000 on baseball, with $87,319 of that on MLB-related bets (an average of approximately $378 per bet). Of the over 200 MLB bets Marcano placed over this period, 25 of those bets included Pirates games while he was assigned to the Pirates’ Major League Club. Marcano did not appear in any of the games on which he placed bets, however, because all of Marcano’s Pirates-related bets, and the vast majority of his bets overall, occurred during the period after he suffered a season-ending knee injury on July 24, 2023 and was receiving medical treatment at PNC Park.

1. Consistent with Marcano’s overall baseball betting activity, 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. Ultimately, Marcano lost all of his parlays involving the Pirates and only won 4.3% of all of his MLB-related bets overall.
2. 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.

Oakland Athletics Major League pitcher Michael Kelly has been declared ineligible for one year for violating MLB’s sports betting rules and policies, including Rule 21(d)(1).

1. Betting data shows that from October 5, 2021 through October 17, 2021, Kelly, who at the time was a Minor League player assigned to the Houston Astros’ Triple-A affiliate in Sugar Land, Texas, placed 10 bets involving nine MLB games, including bets on the outcomes, over/under bets on the number of runs scored, and on an individual pitcher’s strikeout total. Three of the nine games on which Kelly placed bets involved the Houston Astros Major League Club.
2. Kelly’s account bet $99.22 on MLB games (an average of $9.92 per bet). Overall, Kelly won five of the MLB game bets and had a net win of $28.30 on the bets.
3. Kelly did not appear in any of the games on which he bet, and he did not make any bets involving his assigned team. There is no evidence to suggest — and Kelly denies — that any outcomes in the baseball games on which he placed bets were compromised, influenced, or manipulated in any way.

Padres Minor League pitcher Jay Groome has been declared ineligible for one year for violating MLB’s sports betting rules and policies, including Rule 21(d)(1).

1. Betting data shows that from July 22, 2020 through July 24, 2021, Groome placed 32 MLB-related bets. Of those, 24 bets involved the Red Sox Major League Club, all of which Groome placed while he was assigned to the Red Sox’ High-A affiliate in Greenville, South Carolina. All 24 of Groome’s Red Sox bets were on the final outcome.
2. In total, Groome bet $453.74 on 30 MLB game-related bets (an average of approximately $15.12 per bet) and had a net loss of $433.54 on these bets. Ultimately, Groome only received payouts on two of his MLB bets.
3. Groome’s MLB bets included parlays, which sometimes included multiple MLB-related legs and would sometimes include MLB-related legs and non-MLB legs.
4. Groome did not appear in any of the games on which he bet, and he did not make any bets involving his assigned team. There is no evidence to suggest — and Groome denies — that any outcomes in the baseball games on which he placed bets were compromised, influenced, or manipulated in any way.

Philadelphia Phillies Minor League infielder José Rodríguez has been declared ineligible for one year for violating MLB’s sports betting rules and policies, including Rule 21(d)(1).

1. Betting data shows that on September 30, 2021, and from June 5, 2022 through July 30, 2022, Rodríguez placed 31 baseball bets, comprised of three bets on college baseball games and 28 MLB-related bets while he was on a Minor League contract with the Chicago White Sox. His MLB bets included seven bets involving the White Sox’ Major League team while he was assigned to the White Sox’ Double-A affiliate in Birmingham, Alabama. Two Club-related bets involved the outcomes and his other Club-related bets were on whether there would be more or less than a certain number of runs scored in the game.
2. In total, Rodríguez bet $749.09 on baseball, with $724.09 of that on MLB-related bets (an average of approximately $25.86 per bet). His MLB bets included parlays, which sometimes included multiple MLB-related legs and would sometimes include MLB-related legs and non-MLB legs.
3. Rodríguez did not appear in any of the games on which he bet, and he did not make any bets involving his assigned team. There is no evidence to suggest — and Rodríguez denies — that any outcomes in the baseball games on which he placed bets were compromised, influenced, or manipulated in any way.

Arizona Diamondbacks Minor League pitcher Andrew Saalfrank has been declared ineligible for one year for violating MLB’s sports betting rules and policies, including Rule 21(d)(1).

1. Betting data shows that from September 9, 2021 through October 29, 2021, and on March 9, 2022, Saalfrank placed 29 baseball bets, including 28 MLB-related bets and one parlay bet on college baseball games, while he was on a Minor League contract with the Diamondbacks. Saalfrank placed all of his MLB-related bets, including four bets involving the Diamondbacks’ Major League team, while he was assigned to and on the Injured List of the Diamondbacks’ Low-A affiliate.
2. In total, Saalfrank bet $445.87 on baseball, with $444.07 of that on MLB-related bets (an average of approximately $15.86 per bet) and with a net loss of $272.64 on MLB bets. Ultimately, Saalfrank only won five of his 28 MLB-related bets and lost his $1.80 college bet.
3. Saalfrank’s MLB bets included parlays, which sometimes included multiple MLB-related legs and would sometimes include MLB-related legs and non-MLB legs. Saalfrank’s bets varied, including who would win the game, the over/under of strikeouts by a pitcher, or whether there would be more or less than a certain number of runs scored in the game.
4. Saalfrank did not appear in any of the games on which he bet, and he did not make any bets involving his assigned team. There is no evidence to suggest — and Saalfrank denies — that any outcomes in the baseball games on which he placed bets were compromised, influenced, or manipulated in any way.