MLB’s Most Notorious Gambling Suspensions: From Pete Rose to Today

By Oliver Wiener July 04, 2025 09:18

Gambling scandals have long cast shadows over Major League Baseball, threatening the sport’s integrity and prompting some of the harshest penalties in professional sports history. From the infamous Black Sox scandal of 1919 to recent suspensions in the 2020s, MLB’s battle with gambling has been a defining narrative shaping its rules and culture.

The saga begins nearly a century ago with the 1919 Black Sox scandal, arguably the most notorious gambling case in baseball history. Eight Chicago White Sox players, including star hitter “Shoeless Joe” Jackson and ace pitcher Eddie Cicotte, conspired to throw the World Series in exchange for money from gamblers. Despite their acquittal in court, Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis banned all eight players for life, setting a precedent for zero tolerance toward gambling-related misconduct in baseball. This scandal underscored the devastating impact gambling could have on the sport’s credibility and led to sweeping reforms.

Fast forward to the 1980s, Pete Rose’s gambling scandal reignited MLB’s gambling controversies. Rose, baseball’s all-time hits leader and then-manager of the Cincinnati Reds, was investigated in 1989 for betting on baseball games, including those involving his own team. The Dowd Report, a comprehensive investigation, concluded that Rose wagered on at least 52 Reds games between 1985 and 1987, with bets reportedly reaching $10,000 daily. Despite denying wrongdoing initially, Rose accepted a lifetime ban from baseball in August 1989, effectively ending his Hall of Fame eligibility and managerial career. Commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti, who presided over the investigation, famously stated that Rose’s actions “tarnished the sport” and necessitated the harsh penalty. Rose later admitted in his 2004 book My Prison Without Bars that he had bet on the Reds but never against them, a distinction irrelevant under MLB’s strict rules.

Beyond these headline cases, MLB has continued to confront gambling issues in recent years. The league has imposed suspensions on players and personnel for betting violations, reflecting the ongoing challenges posed by the proliferation of legalized sports betting. For example, in 2025, Cleveland Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz was placed on paid administrative leave amid an MLB gambling investigation after suspicious betting patterns were detected on specific pitches he threw. This case highlights MLB’s vigilance in monitoring microbets and emerging gambling markets that could threaten game integrity.

MLB’s zero-tolerance stance contrasts with other sports leagues but is rooted in baseball’s historical vulnerability to gambling scandals. The league’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program also includes gambling prohibitions, with penalties ranging from suspensions to lifetime bans. Recent years have seen MLB act swiftly against gambling violations, including the 2020 suspension of Astros manager A.J. Hinch and GM Jeff Luhnow for unrelated sign-stealing but emblematic of MLB’s broader commitment to integrity.

Commissioner Rob Manfred has emphasized that protecting the game’s integrity is paramount. “We have learned from history that the slightest doubt about fairness can erode fan trust,” Manfred said in a 2024 interview. “Our policies and investigations reflect our commitment to a level playing field.”

In summary, MLB’s most notorious gambling suspensions from the Black Sox to Pete Rose and today’s ongoing cases illustrate a persistent struggle to safeguard the sport’s integrity. The league’s harsh penalties serve both as punishment and deterrent, underscoring that gambling-related misconduct will not be tolerated, regardless of a player’s stature. As sports betting continues to expand nationwide, MLB’s vigilance remains critical to preserving baseball’s trusted place in American culture.