MLB players union boss resigns over inappropriate relationship with sister-in-law: report

Major League Baseball Players Association executive director Tony Clark reportedly resigned Tuesday amid multiple scandals.

Reports said Tuesday morning that Clark was expected to resign as he and the union are under federal investigation by the Eastern District of New York for alleged financial improprieties. The 53-year-old was being investigated regarding the use of licensing money.

In addition to the federal probe, an internal investigation by the union revealed that he had an inappropriate relationship with his sister-in-law, according to ESPN’s report Tuesday afternoon. Clark’s sister-in-law was hired by the union in 2023.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Bruce Meyer, the union’s deputy executive director, has been named by several players as the logical candidate to replace Clark, according to ESPN.

“The Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) announced today Tony Clark has resigned as executive director. Clark joined the MLBPA staff as director of player relations in 2010 and succeeded Michael Weiner as executive director in 2013. He was the first former player to serve in the role,” The MLBPA said in a statement to Fox News Digital. 

“The full executive board of Player representatives met this afternoon with MLBPA staff and outside counsel to discuss next steps; as always, the Players remain focused on their ongoing preparations for collective bargaining this year. The strength of this union is — and will always be — the solidarity of our membership. We have a long history of fighting for the rights of every Player, and we’re committed to making sure we can continue that fight successfully.”

The Eastern District of New York’s investigation is into the use of OneTeam Partners, a multibillion-dollar group-licensing company that is part-owned by the union. It is also owned by Players Way, and the company has spent millions but has not had many events.

MIKE TROUT GIVES THE $35 MILLION REASON WHY HE WILL NOT PLAY FOR TEAM USA IN WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC

Tony Clark walks the black carpet at The Players Party 2025 hosted by MLBPA, Fanatics, Topps, & Lids at Flourish in Atlanta, Georgia, on July 14, 2025. (Derek White/Getty Images for MLBPA, Fanatics, Topps & Lids)

Clark and the MLBPA were supposed to embark on their annual tour of spring training camps on Tuesday, beginning with the Cleveland Guardians, according to The Athletic. However, in the wake of the report, the meeting was canceled.

Clark’s expected resignation occurs just months away from CBA negotiations between the MLB and MLBPA.

The owners are widely expected to lock out the players at the beginning of the offseason and push hard for the implementation of a salary cap. If the owners do indeed go forth with a lockout, it would be the second consecutive time the owners have locked out the players at the expiration of the CBA.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Advertise here

Major League Baseball Players Association executive director Tony Clark talks to reporters at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Florida, on March 5, 2025. (Evan Petzold / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

In 2021, the sport was shut down for 99 days. Over the past four seasons, as spending by teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets has reached extraordinary levels, there has been a fervent push for a salary cap to be implemented, making fans wonder if a lockout would threaten the entire 2027 season.

Historically, the MLBPA has been staunchly opposed to a salary cap. 

In 1994, the union’s refusal to budge on the implementation of a cap caused the World Series to be canceled that season, as the players went on strike midseason.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.