Our Clients:

Field Level Media - Professional sports content solutions | FLM

Feb 3, 2025 5:31 pm

MLB fires ump Pat Hoberg over betting violations

pat hoberg

Major League Baseball on Monday upheld its decision to fire umpire Pat Hoberg for violating the league’s betting policies.

Hoberg had appealed his initial firing late last May following a months-long investigation that involved a legal sports betting account Hoberg opened in his name.

While the investigation found no evidence that Hoberg bet on baseball, it did discover that he shared his gambling accounts with a friend who bet on baseball. Hoberg also intentionally deleted text messages relevant to the investigation, which the league cited as another reason for his termination in a release Monday.

“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,” commissioner Rob Manfred said in the release.

In his own statement, Hoberg apologized to MLB but maintained he never manipulated the outcome of any game he umpired.

“I take full responsibility for the errors in judgment that are outlined in today’s statement (by MLB),” Hoberg said. “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. That said, to be clear, I have never and would never bet on baseball in any way, shape, or form. I have never provided, and would never provide, information to anyone for the purpose of betting on baseball. Upholding the integrity of the game has always been of the utmost importance to me.”

Hoberg can apply for reinstatement at the start of spring training in 2026.

The 38-year-old became a full-time umpire in 2017 and established himself as one of the game’s best at calling balls and strikes correctly. That was on full display in Game 2 of the 2022 World Series, when Hoberg accurately called all 129 pitches taken from behind the plate.

–Field Level Media

You may also like

dodgers, ohtani, sits
Feb 15, 2025 12:36 am

Dodgers president envisions 5-man rotation for start of season

The Los Angeles Dodgers’ plan to use a six-man rotation this season is on hold until one of the half-dozen, star right-hander Shohei Ohtani, returns to the mound in May,…

Ragans Royals
Feb 14, 2025 9:28 pm

Royals, LHP Cole Ragans agree to 3-year extension

Coming off his first All-Star campaign, Kansas City left-hander Cole Ragans agreed to a three-year extension with the Royals, the team announced Friday. The Royals did not confirm financial terms,…

Ronald Acuna Jr. pirates
Feb 14, 2025 5:13 pm

Former MVP Ronald Acuna Jr. says ACL tear 90-95 percent recovered

Ronald Acuna Jr. has placed his return to baseball on the front burner as the 2023 National League MVP says his surgically repaired left knee is 90-95 percent healthy. That’s…

More Baseball News

dodgers, ohtani, sits
Feb 15, 2025 12:36 am

Dodgers president envisions 5-man rotation for start of season

The Los Angeles Dodgers’ plan to use a six-man rotation this season is on hold until one of the half-dozen, star right-hander Shohei Ohtani, returns to the mound in May,…

Ragans Royals
Feb 14, 2025 9:28 pm

Royals, LHP Cole Ragans agree to 3-year extension

Ronald Acuna Jr. pirates
Feb 14, 2025 5:13 pm

Former MVP Ronald Acuna Jr. says ACL tear 90-95 percent recovered

Ichiro Suzuki
Feb 14, 2025 12:11 pm

Ichiro Suzuki to donate personal collection to Hall of Fame

Marcus Stroman
Feb 14, 2025 11:32 am

Yankees’ Marcus Stroman says he won’t pitch in the bullpen: ‘I’m a starter’

Read all
fb-post
advertisment
title-icon

Upcoming events

See all odds