### Suspended MLB Players Return After Betting Scandal

A year after Major League Baseball suspended four players for betting on the sport, they are set to return to the field, and their teams seem ready to welcome them back. Relievers Andrew Saalfrank and Michael Kelly, starter Jay Groome, and infielder Jose Rodriguez were banned for a year on June 4, 2024, for violating Rule 21, which prohibits betting on baseball.

Infielder Tucupita Marcano was similarly banned for betting over $150,000 on baseball, including wagers on Pittsburgh Pirates games while on their roster. While the quartet suspended for gambling on MLB games were all in minor leagues at the time, none placed bets on their own teams. Now, these players can resume their careers, and their teams appear supportive.

The Arizona Diamondbacks will reinstate Saalfrank. The Oakland Athletics plan to welcome Kelly back, and the Philadelphia Phillies have already integrated Rodriguez into their facility. However, the San Diego Padres intend to non-tender Groome. Sources from respective teams, who wished to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of the issue, confirmed these moves.

The suspensions were stunning, marking the first time players were penalized for using legal online betting platforms. Baseball has a tumultuous history with gambling, from the 1919 Black Sox scandal to Pete Rose's lifetime ban, which was posthumously lifted just recently. Earlier this year, umpire Pat Hoberg was fired for sharing a betting account with a friend.

MLB disclosed that its sports book partners alerted them to the betting activity. Following an investigation, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred emphasized the league's commitment to integrity monitoring, educational initiatives, and ensuring strict adherence to its rules. The league, however, declined to comment on any potential protocol updates following these events.

Even though the suspensions have ended, teams are not obligated to bring the players back. A league source mentioned that MLB and the Players Association agreed on a special arrangement that allowed players to return to team facilities 30 days before their suspensions expired. Teams then have a 10-day window to decide whether to offer players contracts post-June 5.

Both Saalfrank, 27, and Kelly, 32, played crucial roles for their teams before their suspensions. Saalfrank, in Triple-A, made 11 postseason appearances during Arizona's 2023 World Series run, while Kelly posted a 2.59 ERA in 28 appearances for Oakland. Groome, 26, has yet to debut in the major leagues despite being a high draft pick, while Rodriguez, 24, has appeared in one big league game.

The amounts wagered by the players were relatively small. Saalfrank's bets totaled $445.87, including 28 wagers on baseball from September 2021 to March 2022. Kelly placed nine bets amounting to $99.22 over 12 days in October 2021, including three on his team during the postseason. Groome and Rodriguez wagered $453.74 and $749.09, respectively.

As leagues globally grapple with the complexities of legalized sports betting, MLB, like others, profits from partnerships with betting companies while wrestling with its implications. Whether these suspensions serve as a deterrent to future violations remains to be seen, but maintaining the integrity of the game remains MLB's ultimate priority.