San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano is facing a potential lifetime ban from MLB for betting on baseball, sources told Jared Diamond and Lindsey Adler of The Wall Street Journal.
The league is investigating the 24-year-old Venezuelan, who’s reportedly accused of betting on Pittsburgh Pirates games last season when he was on their injured list.
Four other players also face potential league discipline for betting on baseball while in the minor leagues, sources told Diamond and Adler.
“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. We will not have any further comment until the investigative process has been completed,” the Padres said in a statement, per Diamond and Adler.
The Pirates stated they “were aware of the matter” and are “fully cooperating” but will refrain from any further comments, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Noah Hiles.
The Padres claimed Marcano off waivers in November, but he hasn’t played a game for their organization since being acquired. He suited up in 25 games for San Diego in 2021 before he was traded to Pittsburgh. He hasn’t appeared in an MLB game since tearing his ACL with the Pirates in July 2023.
Marcano’s investigation follows other recent sports gambling scandals, including one involving Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara, who allegedly stole nearly $17 million from the Japanese baseball star.
Ohtani’s former Los Angeles Angels teammate, David Fletcher, is also being investigated by the league for allegedly betting on sports with the same illegal bookmaker connected to Mizuhara.
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