MLB Players Suspended Over Gambling Return To Baseball After A Year Out
Major League Baseball (MLB) has recently reinstated four players who faced a one-year suspension for participating in betting activities related to baseball games. Andrew Saalfrank (Arizona Diamondbacks), Michael Kelly (Oakland Athletics), Jay Groome (San Diego Padres), and José Rodríguez (Philadelphia Phillies) were originally suspended in June of last year and are now eligible to rejoin their respective teams.
While sports betting is permissible for professional baseball players, MLB maintains a strict prohibition against players betting on baseball games, especially those involving their own teams. Violations of this policy carry significant penalties. An illustrative case is Tucupita Marcano, who was handed a lifetime ban after wagering over $150,000 on games, including bets on the Pirates while he was on their roster.
Returning Players: Mixed Outcomes
Michael Kelly has already made an impact since his reinstatement, pitching 1⅓ scoreless innings to contribute to the Oakland Athletics’ impressive 14-3 victory over Minnesota. Notably, Kelly’s infractions involved minimal stakes; he placed bets totaling just $99.22 over 12 days in October 2021, none of which involved his own team.
On the other hand, Jay Groome, who bet $453.74 over three days in July 2021 while with the Boston Red Sox, has been non-tenured by the Padres. The violations were uncovered after his trade to San Diego in a deal involving former All-Star first baseman Eric Hosmer and two minor leaguers.
José Rodríguez was welcomed back to the Phillies’ training camp but has been subsequently non-tenured as well. He accumulated a total of $749.09 in bets from September 2021 through June 2022.
Andrew Saalfrank has been optioned to the Arizona Complex League after placing 29 bets that totaled $445, including four wagers on Diamondbacks games while in the minors.
MLB’s Commitment to Betting Integrity
The MLB actively collaborates with sports betting applications to monitor betting activities and ensure compliance with league regulations. The league has also raised concerns regarding the emergence of prediction markets, which it warns could threaten the integrity of the sport if left inadequately regulated.
Bryan Seeley, MLB’s Executive Vice President of Legal and Operations, highlighted these issues in a recent letter to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). He emphasized that “protecting the integrity of competition is, and always has been, MLB’s top priority.”
The letter detailed MLB’s ongoing efforts to:
- Integrate robust integrity protections into state sports betting laws.
- Establish partnerships with legal sportsbooks for effective information sharing regarding integrity.
- Foster cooperative relationships with state gaming regulators.
Notably, the MLB has recently reinstated infamous players Joe Jackson and Pete Rose, allowing them to be considered for entry into the Hall of Fame. Jackson was one of eight players banned for his involvement in the notorious 1919 Black Sox scandal, while Rose was banned for betting on games during his tenure as both player and manager in the 1980s.
With sports betting now legalized in most U.S. states, current players face less severe penalties for infractions. The four reinstated players will likely strive for successful comebacks, signaling a transformative period in the intersection of sports and betting.
