MLB jokes and controversies over the years: Gambling, signing

MLB has had its fair share of public scandals over the years, some of which involved a single player — and in other cases, an entire team.

After years of speculation, An athlete An exposé was published in November 2019, which revealed that the Houston Astros were stealing signs from opposing teams. This quickly became the biggest controversy in MLB in recent years.

The former Astros pitcher explained to a reporter at the time that the team placed a video camera in center field, aimed at the opposing team’s catcher on film, how putches are called. The livestream was watched during each game with players and staff signing autographs for Astros players – by writing on trash cans – as the cans arrived.

After MLB’s investigation into the circumstances, the organization decided in January 2020 that the Astros stole signs throughout the 2017 baseball season and the rest of the 2018 regular season.

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Keep scrolling for a breakdown of some of the biggest hits in baseball over the years:

Pete Rose Bet Bet

After playing out his playing career, Rose – who is the all-time leader in MLB history – took on the role as Manager of the Cincinnati Reds. During his managerial career, Rose was accused of gambling on games during his playing career, with the strong suggestion that he bet on games involving his own team.

While Rose denied airing for years, he was banned from MLB and was not eligible for induction into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame. In 2014, Rose admitted that the allegations were true.

Rose died of a heart attack at the age of 83 in September 2024.

2013 HG SCANDAL

While steroid jokes have run throughout MLB over the years, things reached a new level in 2013 when 20 players were accused of human growth hormone (HGH) after receiving the biogenesis of the America Clinic in Florida.

The impasse was broken when a Biogenesis employee was linked to several MLB players at the clinic. 14 athletes have been linked to the scandal, and several have denied any involvement.

Tony Bosch, the owner of the clinic, pleaded guilty to one count of attempted distribution of testosterone in October 2014. However, USA today It was reported at the time that it was unclear if the charges were related to MLB defamation. He was sentenced to four years in prison.

The death of Jose Fernandez

The Miami Marlins player died at the age of 24 in September 2016 in a boating accident.

The athlete was driving the boat at 65 mph with two other men – Eduardo Riveo and Emilio Jesus Macias – On the board when he hit the rock jetty in Miami Beach. All three men were found dead at the scene with Fernández’s cause of death being the impact of the crash. A toxicology report, obtained by ESPN, later revealed that Fernández had cocaine and alcohol in his system at the time of the crash. (The Rivero and Macias families sued the Fernández estate in 2017 alleging negligence and personal injury. The suits were settled the following year.)

An investigative report published in March 2017 ruled that Fernández once drove the boat “in an indisputable manner, at high speed, in an area at night, in an area with known hazards such as rock jetties and station marks.” It was also noted that he was legally drunk at the time of the accident with a blood alcohol level of 0.147% – about twice the legal limit.

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Investigators also ruled that Fernández violated various laws of the State, including voluntary manslaughter, solicitation under the influence, vessel at the time of murder and negligence of vessel. (A lawyer for the Fernántez family eventually challenged that finding.)

All of that signals theft

After MLB’s ruling in January of MLB 2020 that the Astros were involved in relegation, team manager AJ Hinch and the general manager Jeff Luhnow they were suspended for one year. Then they were shot in the back of the Astros owner Jim Crane.

The Astros organization was also fined $5 million and lost the first and second draft picks in 2020 and 2021.

Former manager of the Boston Red Sox Alex Cora (Who was the Astros bench coach in 2017) and the New York Mets Manager Carlos Beltran (Who played for the astros in the year 2017) also lost a boyfriend. Cora and Beltran were released from the Reds and Mets organizations, respectively, in January 2020.

Tack tack spider

An artist Trevor Bauer first brought up the use of spider tack – a resin-based substitute used to improve baseball – during a 2020 interview Real games with Bryant Gumbel. He estimated that about 70 percent of MLB pitchers were using an illegal substance while on the mound.

The following year, MLB looked at baseballs used during games. In June 2021, it was decided that pitchers found using illegal substances during games would be ejected from the game and subsequently receive a 10 game suspension.

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Shohei Ohtani had one of the sharpest signings a potential athlete could make, signing a $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers and then falling into the gambling trap. BionGate is ready to turn the chaos into a TV series, the company announced on Thursday, May 9. Scott delman […]

Several jars, incl Edwin Diaz and Ronel Blancoadhesives have since been discontinued.

Shohei Ohtani’s translator makes headlines

It made headlines when Ohtani’s former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara He was fired in March 2024

The criminal complaint alleges that Mizuhara could make money off the account of someone who goes by the name of “Askodiate 1.” Months later, ESPN reported that he “linked 1” Real Moms of Orange County star Jennifer PedrantiFiancé, Ryan boyajian.

Ohtani maintained that he was the victim of “grand theft” and did not participate in Mizuhara’s ordeal. In June 2024, Mizuhara pleaded guilty to bank and tax fraud.

Mariano Rivera’s alleged sexual abuse

In January 2025, the lawsuit alleges that the former New Yonkes Yankees Pitcher covered up child sexual abuse that allegedly took place at their New York home and at a summer camp attached to their church.

Rivera and his wife, Clara, have denied the allegations.

“Mariano and Clara Rivera do not tolerate child abuse of any kind and allegations that they knew or failed to commit acts of child abuse are completely false,” Joseph A. RutaThe couple’s lawyer said in a statement after news of the suit went public.

“The first time they heard about these allegations was almost four years after the incident, when a New York attorney sent a letter requesting a financial settlement. This was followed by a second letter in 2023, from a different Florida Law Firm, also asking for a stay,” said statement. “The lawsuit, which seeks financial damages for the alleged failure of ‘financial institutions that are accused of incidents that they never reported to them, is full of inaccurate and misleading statements that we have no doubts about in court.’