Major League Baseball has terminated veteran umpire Pat Hoberg for violating the league’s gambling policies, despite investigators finding no evidence that he ever bet on baseball or influenced any game outcome.
The league’s announcement on Monday brought clarity to Hoberg’s mysterious absence throughout the 2024 season. Though the decision to terminate him was made in May 2024, it was only finalized after Hoberg’s appeal was rejected through the league’s collective bargaining process with the MLB Umpires Association (MLBUA).
Hoberg Didn’t Bet on Baseball—But That Didn’t Save His Job
The facts are clear: Hoberg didn’t place bets on baseball. But he did share a legal sports betting account with a close friend—a professional poker player—who did. And that’s where everything unraveled.
MLB investigators concluded that Hoberg failed to uphold the standards of integrity expected of umpires by maintaining that betting account link. Even more damning, Hoberg deleted messages on the app Telegram after being informed of the league’s investigation. That digital cover-up sealed his fate.
Commissioner Rob Manfred didn’t mince words in his statement: “His extremely poor judgment in sharing betting accounts… combined with his deletion of messages creates at minimum the appearance of impropriety that warrants imposing the most severe discipline.”
No Bets of His Own—But 141 Baseball Bets from the Shared Account
According to a summary released by a neutral factfinder, Hoberg began using the shared account to place legal bets as early as 2015 or 2016, mostly on football, basketball, and golf. But between 2021 and 2023, the poker-playing friend placed 141 baseball bets from the same account, including eight wagers on games Hoberg umpired or had replay duties for.
None of those bets turned a profit. No evidence suggested Hoberg’s calls were influenced. Still, MLB ruled that the association—and Hoberg’s inaction—crossed a line.
From Perfect Scorecard to Public Shame
Hoberg, 38, was widely considered one of MLB’s best umpires. He famously called a “perfect game” behind the plate in Game 2 of the 2022 World Series, according to Umpire Scorecards. He worked every postseason from 2018 to 2022 and was even selected for the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
In a statement released via the MLBUA, Hoberg said: “I take full responsibility for the errors in judgment… Those errors will always be a source of shame and embarrassment to me.” He also reiterated: “To be clear, I have never and would never bet on baseball.”
A Harsh Lesson for the Whole Sport
While Hoberg is eligible to apply for reinstatement no earlier than Spring Training 2026, the path forward is uncertain. Even the MLBUA acknowledged the seriousness of his mistakes while maintaining that he never bet on baseball.
Still, the message from Major League Baseball is unmistakable: The integrity of the game is everything. Even the appearance of compromise is enough to cost you everything. And for Pat Hoberg—a once-rising star among umpires—that cost may have just been his entire career.
