Pat Hoberg

  • Major League Baseball fired umpire Pat Hoberg for violating the league’s gambling policy.
  • The MLB investigation states Hoberg shared a sports betting account with someone who placed bets on baseball, including multiple bets on games he umpired in.
  • Hoberg requested to make bets to his friend via Telegram, but Hoberg deleted all messages and the app itself once he was contacted by MLB investigators.

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. – Major League Baseball’s decision to dismiss umpire Pat Hoberg for violating MLB gambling rules was upheld on Monday. Although the league found no evidence of Hoberg placing bets on baseball or manipulating any game results himself, the legal sports betting account that he shared with a friend placed 141 bets on baseball from 2021-2023.

Hoberg denied placing any bets on baseball, but his betting activity was too suspicious for the MLB to not take action. He shared sports betting accounts with a friend who bet on baseball and a professional poker player, while also impeding on the MLB investigation by deleting text messages with those account holders.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred Issues Statement On Pat Hoberg

“The strict enforcement of Major League Baseball’s rules governing sports betting conduct is a critical component of upholding our most important priority: protecting the integrity of our games for the fans. An extensive investigation revealed no evidence that Mr. Hoberg placed bets on baseball directly or that he or anyone else manipulated games in any way,” said Manfred in his statement.

 

“However, his extremely poor judgment in sharing betting accounts with a professional poker player he had reason to believe bet on baseball and who did, in fact, bet on baseball from the shared accounts, combined with his deletion of messages creates at minimum the appearance of impropriety that warrants imposing the most severe discipline. Therefore, there is just cause to uphold Mr. Hoberg’s termination for failing to conform to high standards of personal conduct and to maintain the integrity of the game of baseball.”

MLB Umpire Fired Without Evidence Of Betting On Baseball

Hoberg unsuccessfully appealed MLB’s decision to terminate him despite no evidence being found of him impacting the integrity of the game. He released a statement through the MLB Umpire’s Association claiming that he would never bet on baseball and also never provide information to anyone for the purpose of betting on baseball.

MLB umpires are allowed to legally bet on other sports, but MLB betting is obviously prohibited. The league was alerted by a legal sportsbook that an account had been opened in Hoberg’s name and a device associated with the account placed bets on baseball.

Hoberg can apply for reinstatement at the start of Spring Training in 2026. He’s notorious for calling a “perfect game” with 100% accuracy on balls and strikes during Game 2 of the 2022 World Series.

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