MLB Dismisses Umpire Pat Hoberg for Breaching Gambling Regulations

In a significant disciplinary action, Major League Baseball (MLB) has officially terminated umpire Pat Hoberg for violating the league’s strict gambling policy. This decision was announced on Monday and stems from Hoberg sharing his legal sports betting accounts with a friend who engaged in betting on baseball games.

The Investigation Findings

MLB’s internal investigation into Hoberg’s conduct began last February after a sportsbook alerted the league officials about the allegations. The findings uncovered that while Hoberg did not personally place bets on baseball games or manipulate any outcomes, he acted with poor judgment by sharing his betting accounts. More troubling, the investigation revealed that Hoberg deleted crucial electronic messages related to the inquiry.

Recommendation for Termination

Despite the absence of evidence directly linking Hoberg to betting on baseball, MLB senior vice president Michael Hill recommended his firing. The recommendation was made on May 24, and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred upheld the decision after a thorough review.

Hoberg, who has not officiated any games last season, will have to wait until spring training 2026 to reapply for reinstatement.

Integrity of the Game at Stake

Commissioner Manfred emphasized the importance of maintaining the integrity of the game. In his statement, he noted, “The strict enforcement of Major League Baseball’s rules governing sports betting conduct is a critical component of protecting the integrity of our games for the fans.” He highlighted that although the investigation cleared Hoberg of placing bets, his involvement in sharing accounts and deleting messages created an impression of wrongdoing.

Manfred continued, “His extremely poor judgment in sharing betting accounts with a professional poker player who he had reason to believe was betting on baseball—and who actually did—combined with the deletion of messages, necessitated severe discipline.” This highlights MLB’s commitment to holding its personnel to high standards of personal conduct and preserving the game’s integrity.

Details of the Betting Activity

The investigation also revealed that Hoberg’s friend placed a staggering 141 baseball bets between April 2, 2023, and November 1, 2023. These bets totaled nearly $214,000, resulting in an overall profit of $35,000.

A Promising Umpire’s Fall from Grace

Hoberg, 38, has long been considered one of MLB’s elite umpires, known for his exceptional ability to judge the strike zone accurately. He achieved an unprecedented feat in the 2022 World Series, where he managed an “umpire’s perfect game” by calling balls and strikes correctly on all 129 pitches in Game 2, as verified by computer tracking.

Following his dismissal, Hoberg released a statement accepting full responsibility for his poor judgment. He expressed remorse, stating, “Those errors will always be a source of shame and embarrassment to me. Major League Baseball umpires are held to a high standard of personal conduct, and my own conduct fell short of that standard.”

Looking Forward

In his statement, Hoberg clearly emphasized, “I have never and would never bet on baseball in any way, shape, or form. Upholding the integrity of the game has always been of the utmost importance to me.” He concluded with a commitment to learning from this incident, aiming to emerge as a better individual.

The league reported that Hoberg opened his betting account on January 30, 2024, and evidence suggests that an electronic device linked to his account connected with another individual’s account, which was used for betting on baseball.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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