Padres’ Marcano Banned for Life for MLB Betting

(LibertySociety.com) – San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano received a lifetime suspension for wagering on Major League Baseball games, according to MLB’s announcement on Tuesday.

Marcano, 24, is facing allegations of betting on games while he was out with an injury last season while playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Between October 16, 2022, and November 1, 2023, he wagered almost $150,000 on 387 baseball games, including 231 MLB-related wagers.

Although he did not suit up and play in any of those games, almost 20 of the wagers were on Pirates games while he was on their roster.

Marcano placed nearly all of his wagers on game outcomes; he was 0 for 1 in parlay bets involving the Pirates, and the league reports that he won 4.3% of his wagers on MLB games overall.

Baseball players, umpires, league officials, or team employees are all subject to one-year suspensions for violating MLB Rule 21, which is displayed in every clubhouse. A lifelong ban is imposed upon any player who wagers on a game in which they are in the line-up.

Marcano, who is now with the San Diego Padres, was discovered to have bet 231 times. Of them, 25 were deemed to have included bets on Pirates games. Nevertheless, due to a season-ending knee injury, he was placed on the disabled list and did not participate in any of those games. He was at PNC Park getting medical treatment at the time of his bets.

Except for baseball, players can lawfully wager on all other sports. A player can get a one-year suspension for betting on different teams, but Marcano got the same lifetime ban for betting on his club.

In 1989, Pete Rose was handed a lifetime ban for betting on the Reds to win between 1985 and 1987, when he played for and managed the team. The MLB’s all-time hit leader is also barred from being elected to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.

Rose denies betting on Reds games.

With 149 games under his belt, the 24-year-old Marcano has a lifetime average of 217 and an OPS of 589. Spotrac estimates that he made $2.7 million over his baseball career.