Philadelphia Phillies No. 27 prospect José Rodríguez has been suspended for one year by MLB for violating the league's gambling policies.
Sports betting has been a hot-button topic in Major League Baseball circles this season. After the early-season scandal involving Shohei Ohtani's interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, things quieted down, but now, a MLB investigation has uncovered betting activity touching all corners of the league.
The first name to surface was San Diego Padres infielder/outfielder Tucupita Marcano, who was placed on the permanently ineligible list, essentially a lifetime ban.
Phillies prospect suspended by MLB for betting on baseball
Unfortunately, the Philadelphia Phillies are one of the teams affected by the league's announcement of suspensions handed down to four other players, all minor leaguers. The team's No. 27 prospect, infielder José Rodríguez, was given a one-year suspension by MLB for violating the league's gambling policy by betting on baseball games.
MLB announced the following suspensions for unrelated violations of MLB's sports betting policy:
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) June 4, 2024
*Padres INF/OF Tucupita Marcano: permanently ineligible
*A's RHP Michael Kelly: 1 year
*Padres LHP Jay Groome: 1 year
*Phillies INF José Rodríguez: 1 year
*D-backs LHP Andrew…
According to MLB.com's Mark Feinsand, the league said that Rodríguez didn't participate in any games he wagered on and it doesn't believe that the games he bet on were compromised. Rodríguez's infractions date back to between 2021 and 2022 when he placed 31 bets on baseball games (28 MLB, three college) while on a minor league deal with the Chicago White Sox.
"His MLB bets included seven involving the White Sox Major League team while he was assigned to the club’s Double-A affiliate in Birmingham, Ala," MLB's release reads. "Two club-related bets involved the outcomes, while the others were on the over/under for runs scored in the game.
"Rodríguez bet a total of $749.09 on baseball, with $724.09 of that placed on MLB-related wagers. Rodríguez did not appear in any of the games on which he bet, and he did not make any bets involving his assigned team."
The Phillies acquired Rodríguez from the White Sox on April 5 for cash considerations. The 23-year-old second baseman had played in 38 games for the Phillies' Double-A affiliate Reading Fightin Phils this season. He slashed .265/.329/.422 with four home runs, 18 RBI and 12 stolen bases.