"Cheaters like Alex Rodriguez are celebrated & allowed to be part of regular events"- MLB fans react to Donald Trump's decision to pardon Pete Rose

Donald Trump stated his intention to pardon Pete Rose with a message on social media, while also blaming Major League Baseball for not getting him inducted into the Hall of Fame. Some fans supported the decision, stating the transgressions of several tainted former MLB stars like Alex Rodriguez are now being looked over.

Rose retired with 4,256 base hits over his 24-year major league career. He is also the all-time MLB leader for games played, plate appearances, and at-bats.

Media personality Benny Johnson posted through X a copy of the statement that the US president had published on TruthSocial.

"Major League Baseball didn’t have the courage or decency to put the late, great, Pete Rose, also known as 'Charlie Hustle,' into the Baseball Hall of fame. Now he is dead, will never experience the thrill of being selected, even though he was a FAR BETTER PLAYER than most of those who made it, and can only be named posthumously. WHAT A SHAME!"

"Anyway, over the next few weeks I will be signing a complete PARDON of Pete Rose, who shouldn’t have been gambling on baseball, but only bet on HIS TEAM WINNING. He never betted against himself, or the other team. He had the most hits, by far, in baseball history, and won more games than anyone in sports history. Baseball, which is dying all over the place, should get off its fat, lazy [expletive], and elect Pete Rose, even though far too late, into the Baseball Hall of Fame!"

The fans shared their reactions to the word from Trump.

"Cheaters like Alex Rodriguez are celebrated and allowed to be a part of regular and post-season broadcasts and events," wrote one fan.

As for Alex Rodriguez, the former Yankees man is considered to be one of the greatest players of all time with 696 home runs and three American League MVP honors. He was denied entry to the Hall of Fame having admittedly used PEDs during his career and had even served a 162-game suspension from the MLB.

"Pete Rose deserves this," said another fan.

"The MLB welcomes steroid users, cheats, and political activists, but bans the all-time hit leader for betting on his own team to win?" another fan said.

Several fans took different views on the matter.

"Does this pardon restore his reputation? asked one fan.

"The President cannot grant clemency for state convictions or civil actions; the authority is confined to federal criminal offenses," declared another fan.

"Pete Rose never went to prison and is dead, what’s the point of the pardon?" questioned another fan.

MLB Commissioner receives reinstatement petition from Pete Rose's family

Pete Rose was the heartbeat of the legendary Cincinnati Reds team of the 1970s known as the Big Red Machine Image Source: IMAGN)

According to reports, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has been handed a petition filed by the family of Pete Rose requesting that the latter be posthumously removed from the ineligible list. Jeffrey Lenkov, a Los Angeles-based lawyer who represented the all-time hit king prior to his death, has filed a reinstatement petition with Fawn Rose, the eldest daughter of the MLB legend.

"The commissioner was respectful, gracious, and actively participated in productive discussions regarding removing Rose from the ineligible list," Lenkov said. "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."

For almost his entire career Rose played with the Cincinnati Reds, and won two World Series titles with the team, winning another one with the Philadelphia Phillies. A 17-time All-Star, Rose also won the 1963 National League Rookie of the Year and was named the MVP of the league in 1974.