It seems that one of the biggest questions that a lot of people have regarding the MLB is whether or not they have rules against players dating each other. After all, as a professional sports league, they likely have certain regulations in place that must be followed.
Well, after doing a bit of research, the answer is, surprisingly, both yes and no. On one hand, while there aren’t any explicit rules or regulations preventing players from dating each other, there are certain behavioral expectations that the league has for its players. For instance, they are encouraged to ensure that their actions away from the field do not “bring dishonor” to the game, which would theoretically include romantic relationships.
I know what you’re thinking: that’s a bit vague. what station is mlb.comare pirates spring training games televided the mlb all star game gear is essentially saying is that they don’t want players to create an “inappropriate atmosphere” off the field. Obviously, that’s a lot more open to interpretation than an explicit rule or legal document, which means that any decision to impose punishment for an alleged violation of this expectation would likely invite a lot of debate and scrutiny.
This isn’t to say that players are completely free to date whoever they want without consequence. While there may not be an outright ban on players dating each other, any sort of proof that a relationship could be seen as “detrimental to the game” would likely draw interference from the league.
Additionally, the team itself may also take issue with a player dating someone connected to the franchise in another capacity. For instance, if one of the members of the organization had a personal relationship with an active player, it could create a conflict of interest. In a professional environment like the MLB, this could be seen as highly inappropriate and be grounds for disciplinary action.
So to summarize, while the MLB has no explicit rules about players dating each other, there are certain behavioral expectations that must be maintained or risk potential repercussions. Furthermore, if a relationship between an active player and another person connected to the organization is deemed to be inappropriate or detrimental to the game, then disciplinary action could be instituted.