MLB in Chaos: Shocking Scandals and Rule Fights You NEED to Know About in 2025!

Major League Baseball (MLB) in 2025 is weathering a storm of controversies that risk eclipsing the on-field action. From disputes among players and serious charges to divisive rule changes and tense fan relations, the league is confronted with challenges that strain its reputation and appeal. 

Throughout the season, high-profile player incidents, arguments over computer-assisted umpiring, and the influence of legal sports betting have fueled fiery debates.

These topics, covered across media such as Sportskeeda and The Athletic, illustrate MLB’s frustration in meshing tradition and innovation while appealing to a younger, online-oriented fan base. 

As the All-Star Game ballots are open and the trade deadline approaches, the drama off the field is constructing baseball’s narrative.

Recent weeks have witnessed MLB players caught up in severe off-field scandals. Tampa Bay Rays’ Wander Franco stands accused of gun possession while serving a sex-based assault case,with prosecutors claiming that he had a Glock 19 in his car during a 2024 fight, although his attorney argues it belonged to his uncle.

Elsewhere, Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Liam Hendriks publicly denounced fans who sent death threats to him and his wife after a May 21, 2025, loss to the Mets in which he yielded three earned runs. These events are part of a string of player controversies, such as Trevor Bauer’s $309K judgment victory and Ryan Weathers’ terrifying head injury, covered by Sportskeeda on June 9, 2025. 

These events have generated upset among fans, with X posts labeling MLB’s response as creating an air of “untouchability” among some teams.

Sports betting has become a major flashpoint, stressing player-fan relationships. A poll conducted anonymously by The Athletic found more than 130 MLB players uneasy about the betting-facilitated interactions with fans, including threats and Venmo demands for losses, including a threat to one player to be shot.

The situation reached its peak when four players—Jay Groome, Michael Kelly, José Rodríguez, and Andrew Saalfrank—were reinstated on June 6, 2025, from their one-year suspension for betting on baseball in the minors.

Also, umpire Pat Hoberg was dismissed for having a betting account with a friend who wagered on games, although there was no proof of Hoberg’s personal complicity.

Commissioner Rob Manfred underscored MLB’s commitment to integrity surveillance, but the league’s moving to reinstate players and remove Pete Rose’s lifetime ban after his death has raised questions of consistency.

The suggested addition of an automated ball-strike (ABS) system for 2026 has split fans and players. 

Revealed by Manfred on June 5, 2025, the system would give teams two challenges per game to contest umpire decisions, with technology piloted in the minors.

Players are torn, with one pitcher contending that it “would ruin baseball’s human element,” while others point to inconsistent ABS calls in Triple-A. Fans are also divided, with some applauding tennis’s embracing similar technology with success and others calling MLB’s reluctance “cowardly,” according to The Community Press. 

Further, Andrew McCutchen’s June 15, 2025, observation that MLB’s high-seam baseballs cut down on home runs (from 1.12 to 1.09 per game) has further raised speculation on deliberate alterations to stem hitters’ power, with no short-term solutions in sight.

MLB’s attempts to court younger fans have yielded mixed results. The league’s June 10, 2025, alliance with viral lip-reading video and 93 million social interactions in 2024’s Jomboy Media works to revamp fan interaction through digital-first storytelling. 

But multi-subscription fragmented broadcasting has infuriated fans, as one New York Times columnist pointed out, with a $2,634-per-year expense to track games, with an additional $19.99 for Red Sox-Yankees games.

 Players were reported by The Athletic as wishing they could avoid fans’ betting-fueled rage, with one pitcher commenting on fans screaming betting odds during warm-ups. These problems, along with ESPN’s opt-out from its $550M contract, indicate a necessity for MLB to open up access and restore trust.

The scandals threaten to alienate young fans, who are instrumental to MLB’s expansion. The Jomboy association and new visuals launched on June 17, 2025, seek to drive more engagement through high-definition imagery and narrative, appealing to older as well as younger generations. 

But negative fan interactions, fueled by gambling and social media, subvert these initiatives. Players such as Hendriks are harassed, and clubs such as the Athletics have bad reputations to contend with, one player describing them as undesirable to play for.

The Washington Post contends baseball’s product on the field is solid but says off-field problems, such as the “stench” of gambling, threaten to undermine its communal charm. Entries on X feature fan outrage, with some labeling MLB’s disciplinary actions a “tiered justice system.”

MLB’s response has been cautious. Manfred’s push for ABS and betting oversight aims to modernize the game, but the league’s refusal to clarify actions, like removing a logo after political backlash, has drawn criticism.

The reinstatement of banned players and Rose’s eligibility for the Hall of Fame, influenced partly by political support from President Donald Trump, suggest external pressures shape decisions. With the 2025 All-Star voting led by Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani, MLB hopes stars can refocus attention on the field.

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