Umpire Pat Hoberg has been removed from the field during spring training after MLB launched an investigation into a potential violation of sports gambling policies. The commissioner’s office stated on Friday that Hoberg has opted to appeal the penalty imposed on him. However, the exact nature of the violation and the extent of the punishment were not disclosed.
Hoberg, 37, made his big league debut as an umpire in 2014 and joined the full-time staff in 2017. He received high praise for his performance in Game 2 of the 2022 World Series, where he was graded perfectly for his calls on balls and strikes. His umpiring experience includes various postseason assignments such as the AL Wild Card Game, NL Division Series, NL Wild Card Series, NL Championship Series, and AL Division Series in previous years.
Despite finding no evidence that Hoberg compromised or manipulated any games he worked, MLB determined that disciplinary action was warranted. The statement from MLB mentioned that they cannot provide further details until the appeal process is concluded.
