MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred is reportedly considering removing Pete Rose from the league’s banned list, months after the game’s all-time hits leader died at the age of 83.
Rose’s family filed a petition with MLB on Jan. 8 to remove him from the list, ESPN reported Saturday. The baseball legend’s lawyer, Jeffrey Lenkov, told the outlet the petition was filed after Rose’s daughter met with Manfred and league spokesman Pat Courtney on Dec. 17.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Manfred previously rejected Rose’s bid in December 2015 after the two met. Lenkov described the meeting with MLB brass as “productive” and said that Manfred had been “respectful” and gracious” in hearing the case.
“It is now time to turn the page on Pete Rose’s legacy in baseball and for the Hall of Fame to honor him. Whether you are a fan or not of Pete Rose, we are at our best a nation of second chances, a nation of giving people second opportunities,” Lenkov told ESPN. “We don’t write off people.”
President Donald Trump wrote in a post on social media on Friday that he planned to posthumously pardon Rose.
“Major League Baseball didn’t have the courage or decency to put the late, great, Pete Rose, also known as ‘Charlie Hustle,’ into the Baseball Hall of fame. Now he is dead, will never experience the thrill of being selected, even though he was a FAR BETTER PLAYER than most of those who made it, and can only be named posthumously. WHAT A SHAME!” he wrote on Truth Social.
METS INFIELDER NICK MADRIGAL COULD MISS 2025 SEASON WITH FRACTURED LEFT SHOULDER
“Anyway, over the next few weeks I will be signing a complete PARDON of Pete Rose, who shouldn’t have been gambling on baseball, but only bet on HIS TEAM WINNING. He never betted against himself, or the other team. He had the most hits, by far, in baseball history, and won more games than anyone in sports history. Baseball, which is dying all over the place, should get off its fat, lazy a–, and elect Pete Rose, even though far too late, into the Baseball Hall of Fame!”
Rose broke out with his hometown Cincinnati Reds, the team he played 19 of his 24 seasons with, three of which he also served as acting manager, in 1963, and he went on to make league history, while securing three World Series titles along the way.
Nicknamed “Charlie Hustle” for his relentless drive when on the diamond, Rose was league MVP in 1973, a 17-time All-Star, three-time batting title winner, Rookie of the Year and World Series MVP.
Despite his 4,256 career hits, he became a polarizing figure when the news of his gambling on baseball rocked the sports world.
Rose applied for reinstatement in 2020 and 2022, especially with legalized sports betting happening across the country. However, Manfred denied both requests, pointing to the Veteran’s Committee for any Hall of Fame discussions regarding Rose. Manfred also shot down any speculation about Rose’s reinstatement in 2023, as the league had partnerships with sportsbooks.
Although he isn’t in the Baseball Hall of Fame, the Reds inducted Rose into their own hall of fame in 2016, retiring his No. 14. He made several appearances in MLB ballparks in recent years before his death.
Fox News’ Ryan Morik contributed to this report.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Leave a Reply