Maple Leafs with a big signing

Toronto team signs Yasiel Puig, despite potential prison sentence looming

The Toronto Maple Leafs of the Canadian Baseball League signed former Major League Baseball All-Star Yasiel Puig for the 2026 season.

How long his tenure with the team will last is up to Judge Dolly ?M. Gee in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California in ?Los Angeles. Puig is scheduled to be sentenced May 26 following his February conviction on one count each of obstruction of justice and making false statements to federal officials in connection with an investigation into illegal sports gambling.

Law enforcement was looking ?into a Southern California illegal bookmaking operation with which Puig placed hundreds of bets. The U.S. ?Attorney’s Office of the Central District of California said Puig lost nearly $1 million, ?which he never paid, for unsuccessful bets on football, basketball and tennis.

The 35-year-old Puig faces up to ?15 years in prison, though the sentence could be much lighter.

Puig’s issues did not stop the Maple Leafs ?from signing what the Toronto Star said was the largest contract in league history, though numbers were not divulged.