Umpire Pat Hoberg, aged 38, was terminated by Major League Baseball for sharing his legal sports gambling accounts with a friend who placed bets on baseball games and for deleting relevant electronic messages during the league's investigation. Although the investigation did not reveal evidence of Hoberg personally betting on baseball or manipulating games, MLB's senior vice president of on-field operations recommended his dismissal, which was upheld by Commissioner Rob Manfred. Hoberg, known for his expertise in judging the strike zone, can apply for reinstatement no earlier than the 2026 spring training season.
MLB disclosed that Hoberg's friend made 141 baseball bets between April 2, 2021, and Nov. 1, 2023, amounting to nearly $214,000 with a profit of almost $35,000. This included eight bets on games officiated by Hoberg.
