MLB umpire facing punishment for gambling violation

The MLB has disciplined umpire Pat Hoberg for violating the league’s gambling rules. In a response to The Athletic, the MLB provided further details on the situation.

“During this year’s Spring Training, Major League Baseball commenced an investigation regarding a potential violation of MLB’s sports betting policies by Umpire Pat Hoberg,” the MLB said. “Mr. Hoberg was removed from the field during the pendency of that investigation.

“While MLB’s investigation did not find any evidence that games worked by Mr. Hoberg were compromised or manipulated in any way, MLB determined that discipline was warranted. Mr. Hoberg has chosen to appeal that determination. Therefore, we cannot comment further until the appeal process is concluded.”

Hoberg has not umpired a game in the 2024 season. MLB commissioner Rob Manfred will hear Hoberg’s appeal. Hoberg was first promoted to the full-time Major League umpiring staff on Feb. 21, 2017. He has been a professional umpire since 2009.

Pat Hoberg gained fame for his excellent performance during Game 2 of the 2022 World Series. Hoberg called a perfect game, with 129 of 129 taken pitches called correctly. Hoberg is still widely regarded as the best ball-strike umpire in the MLB.

This incident isn’t the first gambling-related issue in the MLB that has made headlines this season. Earlier this month, the MLB banned San Diego Padres infielder/outfielder Tucupita Marcano for violating the league’s sports betting rules and policies.

Additionally, the league handed out one-year suspensions for other gambling-related violations to Athletics right-handed pitcher Michael Kelly and Minor Leaguers Jay Groome (Padres left-handed pitcher), José Rodríguez (Phillies infielder) and Andrew Saalfrank (D-backs left-handed pitcher).

“The strict enforcement of Major League Baseball’s rules and policies governing gambling conduct is a critical component of upholding our most important priority: protecting the integrity of our games for the fans,” Manfred said. “The longstanding prohibition against betting on Major League Baseball games by those in the sport has been a bedrock principle for over a century. We have been clear that the privilege of playing in baseball comes with a responsibility to refrain from engaging in certain types of behavior that are legal for other people.

“Since the Supreme Court decision opened the door to legalized sports betting, we have worked with licensed sports betting operators and other third parties to put ourselves in a better position from an integrity perspective through the transparency that a regulated sports betting system can provide. MLB will continue to invest heavily in integrity monitoring, educational programming and awareness initiatives with the goal of ensuring strict adherence to this fundamental rule of our game.”