Jose Rodriguez: who is he? An infielder for the Philadelphia Phillies was punished for breaking MLB’s gambling rules.

CBS Philadelphia, PA Five major – and minor league baseball players were suspended or permanently banned on Tuesday for breaking MLB’s gambling policy, including Jose Rodriguez, an infielder for the Philadelphia Phillies.

The minor league second baseman Rodriguez was suspended by MLB for one season. Four players were punished for breaking Rule 21; Rodriguez was one of them. Tucupita Marcano, an infielder for the San Diego Padres, was given a lifetime suspension.

Pitchers Andrew Saalfrank of the Arizona Diamondbacks, Michael Kelly of the Oakland Athletics, and Jay Groome of the Padres of Barnegat Township, New Jersey, are also suspended.

Jose Rodriguez: who is he?
On April 5, 2024, Rodriguez was acquired by the Phillies from the Chicago White Sox in a minor deal for monetary considerations. Following Jake Cave’s trade to the Colorado Rockies by Philadelphia, he was able to claim the 40-man roster space.

The 23-year-old middle infielder was sent to Double-A Reading by Philadelphia. Rodriguez hit.265/.319/.444 with four home runs, 18 RBIs, and 13 walks in 38 games with the Fightin Phils.

There is just one major league game in Rodriguez’s career. On June 20, 2023, he entered the game as the White Sox defeated the Texas Rangers 7–6. Rodriguez scored after pinch-running for Chicago catcher Yasmani Grandal. He continued playing, primarily at second base.

The Phillies removed Rodriguez from the 40-man roster by placing him on the ineligible list.

Jose Rodriguez placed a wager on what?
While Rodriguez was playing for the Chicago White Sox in the minor leagues, he placed 31 bets on baseball on September 30, 2021, and from June 5 to July 30, 2022, according to data provided by MLB.

According to the league, Rodriguez placed three wagers on collegiate baseball and 28 MLB games.

While Rodriguez was a player for Birmingham Barons, Chicago’s Double-A affiliate, he had seven bets on the White Sox. As per the league’s announcement, five of the bets were on runs scored, and the remaining two were on the outcome.

According to MLB, Rodriguez wagered $749.09 on baseball in total, of which $724.09 was wagered on MLB games and parlays.

According to the league, Rodriguez did not wager on his teams or participate in any of the games he gambled on.

“There is no evidence to suggest — and Rodriguez denies — that any outcomes in the baseball games on which he placed bets were compromised, influenced, or manipulated in any way,” the Major League Baseball statement stated.

Rule 21 addresses misbehavior and incorporates the sportsbook and betting guidelines.

The following is the wording for Rule 21 (d), which deals with betting, as stated on the league website:

(1) Any player, umpire, official of the Club or League, or employee who places a wager of any kind on a baseball game in which the bettor is not required to participate will be ineligible for a year.

(2) Any player, umpire, or Club or League official or employee, who shall bet any sum whatsoever upon any baseball game in connection with which the bettor has a duty to perform, shall be declared permanently ineligible.

(3) The Commissioner may impose penalties on any player, umpire, Club or League official, employee, or agent who wagers with unlawful bookmakers or their agents, taking into account the specific facts and circumstances of the action. The Commissioner may suspend a player, umpire, Club or League official, or employee for a minimum of one year if they run or are employed by an unlawful bookmaking company. For the purposes of this clause, an illegal bookmaker is a person who, as part of a gambling operation that is illegal in the jurisdiction in which the bets are placed, accepts, places, or handles wagers on sporting events from members of the public.