After Donald Trump's controversial speech, MLB commissioner making big move towards Pete Rose's Hall of Fame eligibility: Reports

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred is reportedly considering a petition filed by the family of Pete Rose requesting the posthumous reinstatement of the all-time hit king for eligibility into the Hall of Fame. The reports regarding the petition have surfaced after Donald Trump announced on social media that he intends to offer a presidential pardon to the former Cincinnati Reds icon.

Pete Rose is one of just two players in MLB history to accumulate 4000 base hits. He eventually surpassed the long-standing record of the legendary Ty Cobb to become the all-time leader with 4,256. However, Rose was banned from the game in 1989 after an investigation revealed that he had been gambling on baseball, which made him ineligible to get on the Hall of Fame ballot.

According to the sources of ESPN, Jeffrey Lenkov, a Los Angeles-based lawyer who represented Pete Rose prior to his demise on September 30, 2024, along with Fawn Rose, the eldest daughter of the deceased, filed an appeal on January 8. The report also stated that the pair had previously held a meeting with Rob Manfred and MLB spokesman Pat Courtney on December 17 at the commissioner's office.

Sources: Manfred mulling family's request to remove Rose from ineligible list byu/Perryplat199 inbaseball

"The commissioner was respectful, gracious, and actively participated in productive discussions regarding removing Rose from the ineligible list so that we could seek induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, which had long been his desire and is now being sought posthumously by his family," Lenkov said.

The comments from Jeffrey Lenkov come less than 24 hours after US president Donald Trump declared his intention of offering a pardon to the former 17-time All-Star. Rose had served a five-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to two counts of tax evasion in 1990.

Pete Rose's former lawyer responds to comments from Donald Trump

Rose had passed away on September 30, 2024, at the age of 83 (Image Source: IMAGN)

As per ESPN, Jeffrey Lenkov had "not actively sought" any assistance from the White House in their bid to get Pete Rose reinstated for eligibility into the Hall of Fame by the MLB.

"When he gets passionate about an issue, POTUS stands behind it," Lenkov said regarding the comments from the US president. "He was passionate about Pete. Pete would have appreciated the president's commitment to him."

"It is now time to turn the page on Pete Rose's legacy in baseball and for the Hall of Fame to honor him. Whether you are a fan or not of Pete Rose, we are at our best a nation of second chances, a nation of giving people second opportunities. We don't write off people."

Rose had spent nearly two decades of his 24-year major league career with the Cincinnati Reds, winning back-to-back World Series titles with the team in 1975 and 1976, while he added another one with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1980. Besides having the most base hits in the MLB, he also holds the record for games played, plate appearances and at-bats.