Manfred arrived at this decision following a posthumous appeal on behalf of Pete Rose, who had been on that list since 1989, as well as public pressure and a face-to-face meeting with President Donald Trump.

Rose, MLB’s all-time leader in hits (4,256), voluntarily agreed with Commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti to a permanent ban on Aug. 23, 1989, following an investigation that concluded Rose bet on the Reds as both a player and manager. Manfred previously rejected Rose’s petition for reinstatement in 2015.

Pete Rose's reinstatement by MLB surely clears a path for other players, like Barry Bonds, to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. But what if neither of them is enshrined?