Baseball’s biggest scandal might finally get a new ending. In a ground-breaking twist, one of the most controversial figures in MLB made a comeback. His legacy is still battling injustice. We are talking about Pete Rose.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred is presently considering a petition to posthumously get Pete Rose off the league’s ineligible list. If that happens, it could finally be an opportunity for the baseball icon’s consistently denied entry into the Hall of Fame.

In 2015, Manfred rejected Rose’s petition. And when questioned about his stance in a recent interview, he stayed non-committal. “I’m not going to comment on Pete Rose right now. Not right now.” But the sources close to these talks suggest that Manfred is open to at least reviewing the case, marking a significant shift from his last hardline stance.

Meanwhile, Rose responded to the ongoing debate with a blend of hope and frustration. “I’ve always admitted my mistakes. I paid the price. I just want a fair chance.”

With Manfred reconsidering the ban, along with Donald Trump’s intentions to grant Rose “a complete PARDON,” the talks around Rose’s legacy have circled back stronger than ever.

These sizzled-up talks take us back to what caused Pete Rose a lifelong restraint from Cooperstown. His ban was imposed from the 1989 investigation that revealed that he placed bets on the Cincinnati Reds while managing the team.

On January 8, 2025, an official petition for resumption was filed. According to sources, his family is taking over the fight. Rose’s daughter, Fawn, and his lawyer, Jeffrey Lenkov, met with Manfred to justify their stance.

Rose played 3,562 games, recorded 4,256 hits, and was a 17-time All-Star. The man wasn’t perfect, but his stats were phenomenal. For now, the baseball community awaits a decision that has the potential to redefine the legacy of one of the game’s most accomplished hitters.

Reds Manager’s reaction to Pete Rose’s MLB controversy

The ongoing debate around Pete Rose’s reinstatement has sparked opinions from all over the baseball world. But it was effortless to point out the most intriguing one – Cincinnati Reds’ Manager Terry Francona.

Even though he hadn’t yet viewed the official report on Commissioner Rob Manfred reviewing Rose’s petition. He still expressed one thing clearly: He admires Rose as a teammate and as a player.

“When it comes to Pete, you guys are well aware of how I feel about him,” Francona said. “And anybody who played with him, I’m guessing, would say the same thing. He’s about the best teammate you could ever find.”

Francona played alongside Rose in 1984 with the Montreal Expos and later witnessed him as a manager with the Reds. He expressed all the genuine emotions about the all-time hits leader’s influence on the game. “I learned more baseball from playing cards with him than probably half the coaches I had.”

Rose’s legacy stays clouded by his 1989 lifetime ban from baseball due to betting on games. Despite that, his legacy cannot be denied. And one thing we know for sure: Francona’s reaction adds a significant layer to this heated debate. What’s your take?