Major League Baseball statement regarding Hoberg appeal

Major League Baseball (MLB) announced today that following an appeal process in accordance with its Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the Major League Baseball Umpires Association (MLBUA), Commissioner of Baseball Robert D. Manfred, Jr. has upheld an earlier decision by MLB to terminate Major League Umpire Pat Hoberg’s employment.

The disciplinary action was taken due to Hoberg’s failure to uphold the integrity of the game by sharing sports betting accounts with a professional poker player and friend who bet on baseball and whom Hoberg should have known bet on baseball, and due to Hoberg’s intentional deletion of messages central to MLB’s investigation into his conduct. Throughout the investigation and appeals process, Hoberg adamantly denied betting on baseball directly or indirectly (i.e., through his friend), and the data provided by the sportsbooks does not show any baseball bets from his own electronic devices. MLB found no evidence that Hoberg or anyone else took any action to manipulate the outcomes of any games, and an analysis of the betting data did not show any discernible patterns indicative of an integrity risk. Consistent with Major League Rule 2(c) for players, Hoberg can apply for reinstatement, but no earlier than the start of 2026 Spring Training.

MLB immediately opened an investigation in February 2024 upon receiving information from a licensed sports betting operator that Hoberg had opened a sports betting account in his own name and that the personal electronic device associated with this account was also associated with the legal sports betting account of an individual not covered by MLB’s policies (Individual A) who had bet on baseball. Hoberg was subsequently removed from Spring Training and made inactive for the 2024 Championship Season pending completion of the investigatory process. On May 24, 2024, Senior Vice President of On-Field Operations Michael Hill determined that, based on the totality of the circumstances, including impeding the investigation into his conduct, Hoberg’s conduct and extremely poor judgment created a situation in which Hoberg could not be trusted to “maintain the integrity of the international game of baseball” on the field as required by Article 9.A of the CBA.

Upon notification that he was terminated effective May 31, 2024, Hoberg appealed the decision to Commissioner Manfred per the process outlined in the CBA, including the involvement of a mutually agreed upon “Neutral Factfinder” whose role is to reach conclusions on “the events, occurrences, omissions and/or conduct relating to the reason(s) for the discipline … [and to] find facts that may be relevant to the issue of mitigation and may make credibility determinations inherent in the factfinding process without commenting on the veracity of witnesses or other individuals involved.” The process calls for the Commissioner to give “due regard” to the Neutral Factfinder’s findings but the Commissioner is not bound by them and can make an independent judgment that is final, binding and not subject to the grievance procedure or challenge in any other forum. Commissioner Manfred held an in-person hearing with Hoberg after an extensive review of all the available information regarding this matter.

Commissioner Manfred said: “The strict enforcement of Major League Baseball’s rules governing sports betting conduct is a critical component of upholding our most important priority: protecting the integrity of our games for the fans. An extensive investigation revealed no evidence that Mr. Hoberg placed bets on baseball directly or that he or anyone else manipulated games in any way. However, his extremely poor judgment in sharing betting accounts with a professional poker player he had reason to believe bet on baseball and who did, in fact, bet on baseball from the shared accounts, combined with his deletion of messages, creates at minimum the appearance of impropriety that warrants imposing the most severe discipline. Therefore, there is just cause to uphold Mr. Hoberg’s termination for failing to conform to high standards of personal conduct and to maintain the integrity of the game of baseball.”

A summary of facts regarding this matter accompanies this statement.

The following summary of facts on this matter was established through MLB’s investigation and the Neutral Factfinder process, including witness testimony and the extensive review of electronic records. Hoberg submitted to an interview, made his electronic devices available for forensic investigation, provided phone records related to his calls with Individual A, and provided financial and credit card records.