According to The Wall Street Journal, San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano is facing a possible lifetime ban from Major League Baseball for allegedly betting on games.
Marcano reportedly bet on several games involving the Pittsburgh Pirates last season while he was on their injured list. Details of these bets are not yet known. Four other players are also reportedly under investigation for allegedly betting on games in the minor leagues.
While the investigation into Marcano is still ongoing, a decision on the possible lifetime ban “could be imminent,” according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan:
San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano is facing a possible lifetime ban for betting on baseball, sources tell ESPN.
Although Major League Baseball’s investigation into Marcano has not yet been completed, a penalty will be imposed @lindseyadler And @jareddiamond reported, would be imminent.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 3, 2024
Marcano, 24, has not played for the Padres this season. He suffered a right ACL injury in 2023 while playing for the Pirates and has been recovering since then. According to the report, Marcano only started betting on Pirates games after he went down with the injury.
The Padres, who first signed him from Venezuela and gave him his Major League start in 2021, then signed him to a one-year deal this offseason.
“We are aware of an active investigation by Major League Baseball regarding a matter that occurred when the player in question was a member of another organization and not affiliated with the San Diego Padres,” the Padres said in a statement statement via The Wall Street Journal. “We will make no further comment until the investigation process is complete.”
Marcano, the league and the Players Association all declined to comment to The Wall Street Journal.
Marcano had a career-high .233 batting average with the Pirates last season. He had 18 RBI, 47 hits and three home runs in 75 games. He tore his ACL at the end of July and therefore missed the rest of the season.
The gambling allegations against Marcano are just the latest to hit the league and the sports world at large in recent months. The former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani pleaded guilty to charges after allegedly stealing nearly $17 million from Ohtani to cover his illegal gambling losses. Ohtani was not involved in that scandal, which dominated the sport in the lead-up to the season.
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter was also given a lifetime ban from the NBA earlier this year after the league said he purposely limited his attendance at games for gambling and in-game betting purposes. Porter, the brother of Denver Nuggets star Michael Porter Jr., had a two-way deal with the franchise.
West Ham midfielder Lucas Paquetá was charged by the English Football Association for allegedly breaching betting rules last month. Former Alabama baseball coach Brad Bohannon was fired after a friend of his tried to place a $100,000 bet on the team. The NFL has also been cracking down on gambling, as several players have been suspended for violating gambling rules, both in the league and while in college.
Like the NFL, Major League Baseball’s gambling policy prohibits players from placing bets on baseball. They can legally bet on other sports. Any player who places a bet on a baseball game involving another team will receive a one-year ban, but betting on your own team will result in a lifetime ban.
