Some MLB players get away with everything. Others seem to get the book thrown at them for even the slightest misstep. Whether it was a harsh suspension, a villain label, or a punishment that didn’t fit the crime, some guys just never caught a break.
This list is for the ones who took the fall—sometimes for the team, sometimes for the league, and sometimes just because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. These are the 20 MLB players who were punished more than they probably deserved.
19. Chris Colabello
He was having the season of his life before a PED suspension derailed it completely. One failed test, and suddenly he was treated like a lifelong cheater.
18. Jose Guillen
Guillen was repeatedly slapped with suspensions and fines, often for infractions that other players were able to get away with. He had a reputation, and the league never let him forget it.
17. Kevin Gross
He got a 10-game suspension for doctoring the ball—something pitchers have done forever with far less punishment. Bad timing or bad luck, he paid more than most.
16. Steve Howe
His repeated suspensions for substance abuse were tragic, but the league’s lifetime ban (later overturned) felt more punitive than supportive. The man needed help, not just a pink slip.
15. Kenny Rogers
He shoved a cameraman and got suspended, sure—but the fallout lasted years. The reaction from fans and media made it seem like he committed a felony.
14. Carlos Gómez
He got ejected and fined multiple times just for celebrating home runs and showing emotion. Flipping a bat is a crime if you’re not the right kind of player.
13. Brett Lawrie
One thrown helmet accidentally hit an ump, and he was instantly labeled a villain. It was frustration, not intent, but that didn’t stop the league from making an example out of him.
12. Zack Greinke
For a guy who mostly minds his business, he’s been the target of a few unnecessary benches-clearing brawls and retaliations. The suspensions always seemed to land on him, even when he wasn’t the aggressor.
11. Raul Mondesi
His name came up in a PED investigation, and he was treated like a ringleader despite limited involvement. The career damage didn’t quite match the actual offense.
10. Marlon Byrd
Caught in the PED net late in his career, Byrd’s suspension ended things for good. But his case always felt like a small fish caught in a big PR crackdown.10. Brandon Taubman
9. Yasiel Puig
Puig was constantly fined and criticized for antics that were, at worst, annoying. His punishments always felt extra harsh because he didn’t “act the right way.”
8. Jonathan Papelbon
He got suspended for choking Bryce Harper in the dugout, which was warranted, but let’s not pretend that incident defined his whole career. MLB never let him live it down.
7. Miguel Tejada
His PED suspension came long after his prime and felt more like a headline grab than a necessary move. By that point, it did more to smear his legacy than clean up the game.
6. Milton Bradley
He had real issues, but the media and league treated him like a walking disaster even when he was just being competitive. Some suspensions were fair, but others were overkill.
5. Francisco Cervelli
He was suspended in the Biogenesis scandal, but his name was barely mentioned compared to others. The penalty hit just as he was hitting his stride, and he never fully recovered.
4. Manny Ramirez
Yes, he got caught more than once, but the way MLB and the media painted him as the poster child for PEDs felt extreme. Others did worse with less backlash.
3. A.J. Pierzynski
Always the agitator, but often punished more harshly than the guys who retaliated. He played with fire, but the league acted like he was the whole blaze.
2. Pete Rose
A lifetime ban for betting on baseball while managing? Harsh, yes. But decades later, with gambling now embraced by the league, it’s starting to look downright cruel.
Read More: The 17 Biggest Steroid Scandals in Sports
1. Alex Rodriguez
Nobody got dragged harder through the mud than A-Rod. He got suspended longer than anyone else for PEDs, but his real crime seemed to be being too famous and too disliked.
