Aaron Judge-Blake Snell 'Bet' is a Little Weird Given MLB's Pete Rose Stance

Betting on games is one of the unforgivable sins in the game of baseball. It is the reason why MLB's all-time hits leader in Pete Rose remains banned from the game to this day.

Any mention of betting is taboo and that is why a recent wager between Aaron Judge and Blake Snell raised some eyebrows. The two reportedly made a bet, with the proceeds going to charity, on whether Judge's New York Yankees or Snell's Tampa Bay Rays will win more games this season. The intention is good, but it is still a bet.

There is no need for this bet in the first place. Both players could donate tens of thousands more to a charity without having to do it in the form of a wager. The optics are bad and both players will likely hear from the league office. The replies, as expected, are filled with mentions of Rose.

Judge and Snell inadvertently made themselves and the league into a punchline with this wager. At least now Rose has another example to point to in his argument to have his ban lifted. The Houston Astros cheating scandal should have been enough, but it remains true that betting on the game is worse than anything in the eyes of MLB.