MLB Commissioner Manfred to Rule on Pete Rose Reinstatement

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred recently met with President Donald Trump to discuss, among other issues, the possible lifting of the league’s permanent ban on Pete Rose, baseball's all-time hits leader who died in September. A petition to posthumously remove Rose from MLB’s ineligible list was submitted in January by his former lawyer, Jeffrey Lenkov, with the aim of making Rose eligible for Hall of Fame consideration. Trump indicated on social media in February that he intends to issue a 'complete PARDON' of Rose, who was banned for betting on Cincinnati Reds games while playing and managing, though the scope of such a pardon—especially regarding Rose’s past tax conviction—remains unclear. Manfred stated he will rule on the petition but would not elaborate on the specifics of his conversation with Trump. The discussions also touched on concerns about how Trump’s immigration policies might affect MLB players from countries like Cuba and Venezuela. Rose’s ban, established in 1989 following an MLB investigation, has long been a contentious topic in the sport.