During spring training, Major League Baseball launched an investigation into potential violations of sports gambling policies by umpire Pat Hoberg. The commissioner’s office stated that discipline was necessary, and Hoberg has decided to appeal the punishment. However, MLB did not provide details regarding the specific violation or the extent of the penalty.
Despite evidence suggesting that games officiated by Mr. Hoberg were not compromised or manipulated, MLB deemed that discipline was required. The 37-year-old umpire has challenged this determination and MLB has indicated that further comments will be withheld until the appeal process is completed. The investigation into Hoberg began during spring training this year and resulted in his removal from the field while the probe was conducted.
Hoberg, who first umpired a major league game in 2014 and became a full-time staff member in 2017, demonstrated exceptional accuracy when calling balls and strikes during Game 2 of the 2022 World Series between the Houston Astros and Philadelphia Phillies. He also officiated other postseason games, including the 2018 AL Wild Card Game, a 2019 NL Division Series, a 2020 NL Wild Card Series, and the 2020 NL Championship Series. In addition to his World Series and postseason assignments, Hoberg worked as an umpire for the “Field of Dreams Game” in August 2021 and also officiated at the
