The Canadian Baseball League‘s Toronto Maple Leafs have signed former MLB star Yasiel Puig to the biggest contract in league history. The 35-year-old outfielder is set to play for the Maple Leafs on opening day, May 10, at 2:00 p.m. at Christie Pits. The Canadian Baseball League made the announcement in a press release that focused on Puig’s talent and his arrival in the CBL.
What the press release left out, however, is that just two months ago, a court found Puig guilty of obstruction of justice and making false statements to federal officials who were investigating an illegal sports gambling operation. The verdict came on February 6, 2026, after a 13-day trial. Puig is now facing up to 15 years in prison, with his sentencing hearing scheduled for May 26.
According to Brobible, beyond the gambling case, Puig has also faced other serious allegations. In 2018, a woman claimed he sexually assaulted her in a Staples Center restroom, and in 2017, two other women made similar claims against him. No charges were ever filed in those cases, but the allegations have long followed him.
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The team’s CEO is standing behind Puig despite the serious legal cloud hanging over him
Toronto Maple Leafs CEO Keith Stein spoke about the signing in an interview with the Toronto Star. “We think he’s the most exciting player in men’s baseball who’s not playing in MLB right now,” Stein said. He added, “We’ve had discussions with lots of people. The issues have been dealt with by the justice system, by other, more qualified parties.”
He then added, “We are focused on what is the best talent that we can put on the field that’s going to represent the Toronto Maple Leafs in a way we can be proud of. We think that he is really on the right track in his personal life.”
The 107-year-old Canadian Baseball League has been making a clear effort to bring in high-profile players in recent years. Puig’s signing is the biggest move yet, both in terms of the contract size and the attention it has brought to the league. The CBL is hoping that names like Puig will bring in more fans and raise the league’s profile in professional baseball.
The signing has also drawn sharp criticism. Many have questioned whether a team and a league trying to build credibility should be signing a player who has been convicted in federal court and is still awaiting sentencing. The move puts the league in a difficult position as it tries to grow its reputation. It is not unlike how controversy tends to follow sports figures off the field, much like how the Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini affair scandal unfolded in the NFL world.
Puig’s $15 million deal is the largest in Canadian Baseball League history, which makes the decision even harder to ignore. The team is clearly betting on his talent to deliver results on the field, but with a sentencing hearing set just weeks after opening day, the situation off the field could easily overshadow whatever happens on it.
Sports figures seeking to rebuild their image have tried different approaches, similar to Vrabel going to counseling amid his own public controversy, which also sparked its own debate. For now, the Maple Leafs are pressing ahead. Puig will be in the lineup when the season opens on May 10, and the team appears committed to giving him a chance to play.
Whether his presence ends up helping the franchise or becoming a liability remains to be seen, but either way, the 107-year-old league and the Maple Leafs will be watching both the field and the courtroom very closely in the weeks ahead.
Published: Apr 24, 2026 12:50 pm