MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred recently revealed that he spoke with President Donald Trump about a variety of topics a few weeks ago, including Trump’s desire to have Pete Rose posthumously removed from Major League Baseball’s permanently ineligible list.
According to the Associated Press, Manfred announced the news during a meeting with members of the Associated Press Sports Editors organization on Monday.
Manfred will rule on Trump’s request to end Rose’s ban later.
Jeffrey Lenkov, a lawyer who represented Pete Rose before his death, filed a petition in January for Rose’s reinstatement to Major League Baseball. Rose died last September at the age of 83.
“I met with President Trump two weeks ago… and one of the topics was Pete Rose, but I’m not going beyond that,” Rob Manfred said Monday, according to the Associated Press. “He said what he said in public. I’m not going to go into detail about what the back and forth was.”
Donald Trump has stated on social media that he would like to see Pete Rose reinstated in Major League Baseball.
Rose “shouldn’t have been gambling on baseball, but only bet on HIS TEAM WINNING,” Trump stated on Truth Social earlier this year. Trump also stated that he intends to completely pardon Pete Rose.
Rose is widely regarded as one of the best players of all time. He has the most hits in MLB history, totaling 4,256. He also participated in the most MLB games in history.
Rose was recognized as an All-Star 17 times and won three World Series championships. He was also named the National League MVP in 1973.
Rose, on the other hand, gambled on the Reds both as a player and manager. In 1989, he agreed to a permanent ban from baseball. Rose is ineligible for the Hall of Fame due to his ban.
According to the report, Manfred expressed his desire to have the upcoming ruling completed as soon as possible.
