San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano banned for life over gambling violation – TSN.ca

Major League Baseball meted out discipline for five players on Tuesday in relation to violations of the league’s betting rules.

San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano has been ruled permanently ineligible and banned for life after placing 387 baseball bets, including 231 MLB-related wagers, an investigation found.

Oakland Athletics pitcher Michael Kelly received a one-year ban, as did Padres minor-league pitcher Jay Groome, Philadelphia Phillies minor-leaguer Jose Rodriguez and Arizona Diamondbacks minor-league pitcher Andrew Saalfrank.

According to the investigation, Marcano wagered $87,319 on MLB-related bets, including 25 bets on the Pittsburgh Pirates while part of the Pirates roster. Marcano did not feature in any of the games on which he wagered. There is no evidence to suggest that any of the games’ outcomes were compromised.

A native of Tucupita, Venezuela, Marcano did not appear in any major league games in 2024. In three big league seasons from 2021 to 2023, Marcano played in 149 games, batting .217 with 88 hits, five home runs, 34 runs batted in and an OPS of .589.

Kelly, 31, was in his third season in the majors and first with the A’s. He appeared in 28 games this season, posting a record of 3-2 with an earned run average of 2.59 and WHIP of 1.181 over 31.1 innings pitched.