Padres infielder facing lifetime ban for betting on baseball

May 5, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Tucupita Marcano (30) prior to the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

A San Diego Padres infielder is facing a lifetime ban for placing bets on baseball, according to a report.

Backup infielder Tucupita Marcano is under investigation for betting on games involving the Pittsburgh Pirates last season while he was a member of the team, according to Jared Diamond and Lindsey Adler of the Wall Street Journal. Marcano was on the injured list at the time of his alleged betting.

No punishment has been determined yet, but a lifetime ban is very much on the table pending negotiations between MLB and the MLBPA. The report also notes that four other players are being investigated for potentially betting on baseball, all of whom did so while playing in the minor leagues.

Betting on baseball is strictly prohibited by the league’s rules. Players found to have bet on their own team face a lifetime ban, while those who bet on other teams can be suspended for up to a year. Betting on sports other than baseball is permitted as long as the bets are placed legally. At least one player is being investigated for involvement with the same illegal bookie that ensnared Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter.

The 24-year-old Marcano has played parts of three seasons in MLB with the Padres and Pirates. He is a career .217 hitter and has generally been used as a backup utility infielder since making his debut in 2021. He has yet to play at any level in 2024 as he recovers from an ACL injury he suffered last year.