Major League Baseball (MLB) has terminated the employment of umpire Pat Hoberg due to his connections with a known gambler who placed bets on baseball games, as announced by Commissioner Rob Manfred on Monday.

At 38 years old and recognized as one of the finest umpires in the sport, Hoberg is the first umpire to be dismissed for breaching the league’s gambling policies.

While there’s no proof that Hoberg himself placed bets on baseball, his shared gambling account with a close friend—a professional poker player—showed 141 baseball bets. Among these, eight were made during five games he officiated or oversaw in the replay booth.

Commissioner Manfred stated, “Enforcing MLB’s rules on sports betting is crucial to our main goal: safeguarding the integrity of our games for fans.” He noted that a thorough investigation found no direct evidence of Hoberg betting on baseball or manipulating any games.

“Nonetheless, his poor judgment in sharing betting accounts with a professional poker player, who he knew had placed bets on baseball, coupled with the deletion of messages, raises serious questions about his integrity that necessitate the most stringent disciplinary action.

“As a result, Mr. Hoberg’s dismissal is justified due to his failure to adhere to high standards of personal conduct and to safeguard the integrity of baseball.”

Although MLB had disclosed last summer that Hoberg faced disciplinary measures for potential illegal activities, they did not reveal his termination on May 24, 2024, pending a dispute he filed with the umpires’ union. On Monday, MLB officially denied his appeal, marking the end of his relationship with the organization.

Hoberg may apply for reinstatement in 2026, similar to Pete Rose, who had the chance to apply for reinstatement annually but remained permanently banned from baseball until his death.

While Hoberg acknowledged betting on various sports, he firmly rejected the accusation of gambling on baseball. After the MLB began its investigation in February 2024, officials found that he had deliberately deleted messages that were vital to their investigation. However, the MLB did not uncover any evidence from sportsbooks indicating that Hoberg had bet on baseball or attempted to alter game outcomes.

“I fully accept responsibility for the poor judgments described in today’s announcement,” Hoberg stated. “These mistakes will always be a source of shame for me. Umpires in Major League Baseball adhere to a high standard of conduct, and I fell short of that standard. That being said, I want to clarify that I have never placed a bet on baseball in any form.

“I have never shared, and would never share, information for the purpose of betting on baseball. Maintaining the integrity of the game has always been my top priority. I apologize to Major League Baseball and the baseball community for my missteps. I pledge to learn from them and strive to improve myself moving forward.”

The MLB Umpires Association also issued a statement, expressing gratitude to the commissioner “for his careful evaluation of Pat Hoberg’s appeal.

“As umpires, we have committed our careers to maintaining the rules and integrity of the game. If we believed an umpire bet on baseball, we would not support him. However, as indicated in the League’s statement, the impartial investigator found no evidence of Hoberg placing bets on baseball. We respect Pat’s clear acceptance of responsibility for the mistakes leading to his dismissal.”

The investigation commenced in February when MLB learned from a licensed sports betting operator that Hoberg had opened a betting account in January 2024. This account was linked to the electronic devices of a close friend who often traveled with him during the season.

Michael Hill, MLB’s senior vice president of on-field operations, reviewed the evidence and concluded that “considering all circumstances, including Hoberg hindering the inquiry into his actions, his conduct displayed such poor judgment that he could not be entrusted to uphold the integrity of baseball on the field as stipulated in our collective bargaining agreement.”

Manfred personally reviewed all the evidence during the grievance proceedings, met with Hoberg, and upheld the dismissal.

Hoberg, who achieved a perfect score as home-plate umpire in Game 2 of the 2022 World Series, started placing bets through his friend around 2015 or 2016 and opened his online account in 2019 when sports betting became legal in Iowa. He and his friend exchanged passwords and account information through the messaging application “Telegram.” They settled debts in cash whenever they met in person.

The investigation revealed that Hoberg placed 529 direct bets across two sportsbooks between December 30, 2020, and January 15, 2024, amounting to $709,606. He lost $75,876 on sports like football, basketball, hockey, and golf. His associate placed 141 baseball bets between April 2, 2021, and November 1, 2023, totaling $213,765.45, primarily targeting game outcomes and runs scored, which earned $34,583.06 in winnings.

Hoberg was the umpire or had a role in the replay booth for five games during those times he was associated with bets, yet MLB found no evidence of foul play or attempts to influence game results. His associate won $9,000 on those five games in 2021, but no calls or replays suggested any integrity issues.

“Throughout the investigation, Hoberg has categorically denied betting on baseball or being aware that his associate was betting on baseball. Although the data from the sportsbooks did not reflect any baseball bets from his devices, the evidence suggests that Hoberg was aware or should have been aware that his associate was placing bets on baseball,” MLB stated. “He had constant access to the account detailing his bets alongside wins and losses.

“His associate’s bets could be easily differentiated from other transactions in their Telegram records. Hoberg admitted that given his associate’s background as a sports gambler, he had reason to suspect that his associate was betting on baseball and recognized that he could have been betting on it.

“Despite understanding he could open betting accounts and wager on other sports, Hoberg did not distance himself from his associate’s baseball betting for several years.”

The earliest date for Hoberg to apply for reinstatement is the beginning of spring training in 2026, but it’s likely that he has officiated his final game in Major League Baseball.

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(This story has been updated with additional information.)