JUPITER, Fla. (AP) – Miami Marlins pitcher Jarred Cosart said Major League Baseball is reviewing his deleted Twitter account as part of an investigation into gambling-related tweets posted there and he is cooperating with the investigation.
“Obviously, I was caught off guard by the whole situation,” Cosart said Thursday. “All I’m really saying to everyone is I’m following the MLB protocol and just talking with MLB security, and they are taking care of the rest.”
The 24-year-old Cosart deleted his Twitter account Tuesday after screen shots of comments he purportedly made appeared on the website of Miami New Times.
MLB rules prohibit players and other employees from betting on baseball games. A player who bets on a game not involving his team faces a one-year suspension and a player who bets on or against his own team faces a lifetime ban. The commissioner, at his discretion, can discipline a player for placing other types of bets with an illegal bookmaker.
Marlins President of Baseball Operations Michael Hill said the club first learned about the tweets from media.