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Major League Baseball (MLB) announced on Friday, June 14, that it has disciplined umpire Pat Hoberg for violating the league’s sports gambling policy. Hoberg has appealed the decision.
While the exact penalty details remain undisclosed, Hoberg has not officiated any games this season. MLB’s statement clarified that Hoberg did not manipulate games but did not rule out the possibility that he bet on baseball.
According to MLB rules, betting on baseball results in a one-year ban. If an individual bets on games they are involved in as a player, coach, or umpire, it leads to a lifetime ban. Hoberg’s current appeal will determine the final outcome of his suspension.
The league began investigating Hoberg during this year’s spring training. “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 statement read. “Mr. Hoberg was removed from the field during the pendency of that investigation.”
Despite finding no evidence that Hoberg compromised or manipulated games, MLB determined that “discipline was warranted.” The league did not provide further details.
Pat Hoberg started his MLB umpiring career in 2014 and became a full-time umpire in 2017. He has been selected for post-season games every year from 2018 to 2022. If Hoberg’s discipline is upheld, he will be the first MLB umpire to be sanctioned for betting since the repeal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act in 2018.