Major League Baseball (MLB) umpire Pat Hoberg is facing disciplinary action from the league after an investigation into a potential violation of sports gambling policies. While there is no evidence that any games Hoberg officiated were compromised or manipulated, MLB has decided to issue discipline. The nature of the violation and the extent of the punishment have not been disclosed.
The commissioner’s office issued a statement on Friday, confirming that an investigation into Hoberg had begun during spring training this year, and he was removed from the field while it was ongoing. Despite his removal, Hoberg has maintained his innocence and intends to appeal any penalty imposed upon him.
Pat Hoberg is a 37-year-old umpire who made his MLB debut in 2014 and became a full-time umpire in 2017. During the 2022 World Series, he received a perfect grade for calling balls and strikes in Game 2. Since then, he has officiated in several high-profile games, including the AL Wild Card Game in 2018 and the NL Division Series in 2019. In addition to his MLB experience, Hoberg worked as a replay official during the 2021 World Series.
Hoberg started his career as an umpire in the minors before making it to the big leagues. He officiated in various leagues, including the Pacific Coast League, Texas League, Florida State League, among others before being selected to umpire the Field of Dreams Game in Iowa in August 2021 – marking his first major league game played in his home state.