San Diego Padres’s Marcano hit with lifetime ban for betting on baseball

Tucupita Marcano, a Major League Baseball player for the San Diego Padres, has been permanently expelled from the league due to suspicions of engaging in betting activities related to the sport.

The MLB made the announcement on Tuesday, as reported by ESPN. This marks the first instance of an active player facing a ban for gambling since 1924 when New York Giants outfielder Jimmy O’Connell was similarly prohibited for betting.

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred emphasized the vital importance of upholding the integrity of baseball games for fans through rigorous enforcement of the league’s rules on gambling conduct.

He highlighted that for over a century, the prohibition against betting on MLB games has been a fundamental principle in the sport.

Manfred reiterated that players have a duty to avoid certain behaviors, even if they are legal for others, as part of the responsibility that comes with playing baseball.