Baseball Commissioner Plans Ruling on Pete Rose’s Ban After Meeting Trump

NEW YORK — Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred is contemplating a ruling to end the permanent ban on Pete Rose, the all-time hits leader who passed away in September. Manfred revealed this during a meeting with sports editors on Monday, where he discussed his recent conversation with President Donald Trump.

Manfred stated that he and Trump talked about various topics, notably how immigration policies affect players from countries like Cuba and Venezuela, but the discussion about Rose was significant. Rose’s situation arises from a petition filed by attorney Jeffrey Lenkov, who represented Rose before his death, seeking posthumous reinstatement to Major League Baseball.

In his remarks, Manfred shared, “I met with President Trump two weeks ago, and one of the topics was Pete Rose, but I’m not going beyond that.” Trump has publicly expressed support for Rose, suggesting that the former player “shouldn’t have been gambling on baseball, but only bet on HIS TEAM WINNING,” a comment made in February on social media.

Rose holds MLB records for most hits (4,256), games (3,562), and plate appearances (15,890). His career was marred by a permanent ban he agreed to in 1989 after an investigation confirmed he bet on baseball games while managing the Cincinnati Reds.

The potential end of Rose’s ban could pave the way for him to be considered for the Hall of Fame, as a 1991 rule prohibits anyone on the permanently ineligible list from being inducted. If reinstated, Rose could be nominated for election by the Classic Baseball Era committee in December 2027.

However, Manfred noted that reinstating Rose would be complex and did not commit to a specific timeline. “I want to get it done promptly as soon as we get the work done,” he said, adding, “I’m not going to give this the pocket veto. I will in fact issue a ruling.”

Manfred also clarified that the current climate of legal sports betting should not influence perceptions about Rose’s case. “There has always been a clear demarcation between what a player can do and an ordinary citizen,” he stated. “It’s a privilege to play Major League Baseball, and with that privilege comes responsibilities.”

As discussions continue about both Rose’s reinstatement and foreign players’ regulations, the baseball community remains attentive to Manfred’s forthcoming decision.