In what can only be described as a shocking decision, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has reinstated Pete Rose and several other deceased players from Major League Baseball's permanently ineligible list. This decision came less than a year after Rose passed away at the age of 83.
"Obviously, a person no longer with us cannot represent a threat to the integrity of the game," Manfred wrote in a letter to attorney Jeffrey M. Lenkov, who petitioned for Rose's removal from the list Jan. 8. "Moreover, it is hard to conceive of a penalty that has more deterrent effect than one that lasts a lifetime with no reprieve. Therefore, I have concluded that permanent ineligibility ends upon the passing of the disciplined individual, and Mr. Rose will be removed from the permanently ineligible list."
Rose had been on the permanently ineligible list since August of 1989 after an investigation found that he had bet on games while managing the Cincinnati Reds. With this decision, Rose now has a path toward being inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame as soon as 2027.
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Rob Manfred reinstates Pete Rose, opens the door to potential Hall of Fame induction
A player with Rose's resume would be a first-ballot Hall of Famer without hesitation. He's MLB's all-time leader in games played, plate appearances, and hits. He's also a 17-time All-Star, a multi-time Gold Glove winner, and a three-time World Series winner. That resume is one few, if any, players can match. The reason why he never got into the Hall of Fame, however, was because of his ban.
"Rose and ["Shoeless" Joe] Jackson's candidacies presumably will be decided by the Hall's 16-member Classic Baseball Era Committee, which considers players whose careers ended more than 15 years ago. The committee isn't scheduled to meet again until December 2027. Rose and Jackson would need 12 of 16 votes to win induction."
While Rose certainly has a shot to get in now, it's far from a guarantee that he actually will. Rose admitted to committing one of MLB's cardinal sins as a manager, and was even accused of betting as a player as well. In addition to that, he was far from a saint off the field, which does matter when discussing the Hall of Fame, fair or not.
Whether Rose finds his way in or not will be a popular storyline for MLB fans to follow for the next couple of years.