Major League Baseball yesterday banned San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano for life for violating its gambling policy by betting on the sport. Marcano is the first active MLB player to face a lifetime ban under the policy since New York Giants outfielder Jimmy O’Connell in 1924. (All-time MLB hits leader Pete Rose was banned in 1989, three years after retiring.)
Marcano, who hadn't played this season due to an injury, had placed 387 baseball bets totaling over $150K from October 2022 through November 2023. Twenty-five bets were on Marcano's former team, the Pittsburgh Pirates, while he was on the team's injury list. MLB also suspended four players for one year, each of whom waged under $1K. League members who bet on baseball games in which they don't appear on the roster are suspended for a year, while those who bet on games in which they do appear on the roster are banned permanently.
Separately, Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter formally pleaded guilty to stealing nearly $17M from Ohtani to pay off sports betting debts.
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