MLB: Padres' Marcano Receives Lifetime Ban for Betting

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Above: Tucupita Marcano, then of the Pittsburgh Pirates, looks on against the Miami Marlins during the fourth inning at LoanDepot Park on June 24, 2023 in Miami, Florida. Image copyright: Megan Briggs/Contributor/Getty Images Sport via Getty Images

The Facts

  • San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano on Tuesday received a lifetime ban from Major League Baseball (MLB) for violating the league's gambling policy by betting more than $150K on baseball games.

  • MLB said its investigation found Marcano placed 231 bets on baseball — 25 on Pirates games while he was then a member of the club (although he didn't appear in those games due to injury). MLB Rule 21 imposes a lifetime ban for betting on a game in which the person has a duty to perform.

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The Spin

Narrative A

Marcano almost certainly won't be the last player to face a gambling ban. Pro sports leagues have opened up a can of worms by teaming with sportsbooks and promoting gambling, and it was only a matter of time before athletes started wagering. Players are responsible for their own actions, but MLB and other leagues share culpability in the gambling crisis that's unfolding across the world of sports.

USA Today

Narrative B

MLB is operating in a whole new world since the Supreme Court legalized sports gambling and it became lucrative for professional leagues and teams to partner with betting entities. But MLB's system of policing worked — Marcano and the others clearly violated the rules, they were caught, and they were punished. This is how the world of sports is going to operate moving forward.

FanGraphs Baseball

Metaculus Prediction