Major League Baseball upheld its decision to fire umpire Pat Hoberg on Monday after it said that he had been sharing a betting account with a friend who bet on baseball. Hoberg, MLB said, was fired for failing to “uphold the integrity of the game” when he shared sports betting accounts with a friend who is a professional poker player.

Major League Baseball announced Monday that it has terminated umpire Pat Hoberg for violating the league’s gambling rules. MLB’s decision was made in May 2024 and upheld following an appeals process in accordance with the league’s collective bargaining agreement with the MLB Umpires Association (MLBUA).

Umpire Pat Hoberg was fired by Major League Baseball for sharing his legal sports gambling accounts with a friend who bet on baseball games and for intentionally deleting electronic messages pertinent to the league’s investigation.