MLB Permanently Bans Tucupita Marcano for Betting on Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) has permanently banned infielder Tucupita Marcano from the league after an investigation found that he placed hundreds of bets on baseball games, including wagers on games involving the Pittsburgh Pirates while he was a member of the team last season.
According to MLB's announcement, Marcano placed a total of 387 baseball bets worth over $150,000 between October 2022 and November 2023. He is the first active player in a century to receive a lifetime ban from MLB for gambling.
MLB's Rule 21 states that betting on any baseball game results in a one-year suspension, while betting on a game where the person has a duty to perform results in a lifetime ban. Marcano placed bets on Pirates games while he was assigned to the Major League club and while he was on the injured list.
The investigation found that Marcano placed 25 bets on Pittsburgh Pirates games during this period, with a total amount wagered of $87,319. He lost all of his parlays involving the Pirates and only won 4.3% of all MLB-related bets overall.
Four other baseball players were also suspended for one year each for violating betting rules.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement, “Major League Baseball takes the integrity of our game very seriously. Betting on baseball undermines that integrity and is strictly prohibited under our rules.”
Tucupita Marcano's betting activity was discovered after MLB was tipped off by a legal sports betting operator.
Marcano, who signed with the San Diego Padres in the offseason, has not played as he recovers from a knee injury suffered last July. He tore his ACL on July 24th and missed the remainder of the season.
This is a developing story and more information will be provided as it becomes available.
