The chief director of Main League Baseball’s Gamers Affiliation has resigned after an inner investigation revealed he engaged in an inappropriate relationship together with his sister-in-law, who the union employed in 2023. ESPN’s Jeff Passan and Don Van Natta Jr. have been first to report the information.
Tony Clark took over as MLBPA government director in 2013 following a 15-year enjoying profession that spanned six groups. His exit comes at an important time for MLB gamers as a federal investigation rages on and their present collective bargaining settlement expires in a yr.
Clark, 53, is married to his spouse, Francesand the couple share three kids. He has two brothers, Greg and Vince.
Underneath Clark’s steering the MLBPA has been topic of an Japanese District of New York investigation for greater than a yr as officers look at Clark and the union’s alleged use of licensing cash or fairness to counterpoint themselves. MLBPA legal professionals and federal officers have stored the group’s eight-player subcommittee up-to-date on the investigation’s progress.
George Gojkovich/Getty Pictures; Jim McIsaac/Getty Pictures The MLB has skilled its fair proportion of public scandals over time, a few of which concerned a couple of participant — and in some circumstances, a whole staff. After years of hypothesis, The Athletic revealed an exposé in November 2019, revealing that the Houston Astros had been stealing (…)
“This occurring in the course of the investigation shouldn’t be overly shocking,” subcommittee member and New York Mets second baseman Marcus Semien informed ESPN on Tuesday, February 17. “However it nonetheless hurts. It’s nonetheless one thing I’m processing and I simply need our participant group to maneuver ahead this yr and be capable of have a very good yr of negotiating with management that cares about what gamers need.”
Semien, 35, added, “The timing being February, once we’re wanting ahead to December when the CBA expires, is best than it occurring in November if one thing got here out.”
Clark’s resignation additionally comes at the start of 2026 Spring Coaching, with groups set to start their first exhibition video games this week. The previous first baseman was ready to embark on a tour of Spring Coaching amenities, with the Cleveland Guardians up first. That journey has been canceled, The Athletic reported.
It’s additionally the newest bump within the street in what has been a turbulent time for the MLBPA, which started in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which additionally hit throughout Spring Coaching. The PA and league ultimately agreed to a 60-game season and a postseason performed at impartial websites.
Earlier than Sport 2 of the World Collection, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred assured baseball followers that the league is staying “actually vigilant” because the sports activities world reacts to the NBA’s latest betting scandal. After federal officers arrested almost three dozen folks, together with Miami Warmth star Terry Rozier and Portland Trailblazers coach Chauncey Billups, Manfred stated on (…)
The following yr, the house owners locked the gamers out for greater than three months within the offseason whereas the 2 sides hashed out a brand new CBA.
“With this group of gamers, we’ve been by so much,” Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happa former MLBPA participant rep, informed ESPN. “We’ve seen a ton. We’ve been by a lockout, we’ve been by 2020. That stored the gamers very knowledgeable and really conscious. Having gone by these experiences will assist on this one.”
Deputy government director Bruce Meyerwho performed a serious function in ending the final lockout, is a candidate to interchange Clark as government director, however that’s removed from a assure. In 2024, gamers held a casual vote, in the end asking Clark to fireside him.
The gamers deliberate to fulfill at 4:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday to debate the “fallout” of Clark’s resignation, in line with ESPN.
“The energy of the union isn’t one individual,” Cubs pitcher and former participant rep Jameson Taillon stated. “It’s in regards to the gamers. It’s all the time been about that. I’m assured we’ll discover somebody good to steer us.”