MLB Players Association Director Resigns After He’s Caught in Inappropriate Relationship
The MLB Players Association’s executive director Tony Clark resigned amid a federal probe into the union’s finances and nepotism, following an internal review that undermined his leadership. The investigation found Clark had an inappropriate relationship with his sister-in-law,whom the MLBPA had hired in 2023,a factor cited as central to his departure. Clark, the first former player to lead the union since it’s 2013 founding, leaves the role less than a year before MLB’s collective bargaining agreement expires on December 1, 2026, a timing that could complicate upcoming negotiations over revenue sharing and may raise the risk of a lockout if a deal isn’t reached. The reports come from ESPN and the New York Post, highlighting the disruption of leadership during a pivotal bargaining period.there is some ambiguity about the exact familial relation involved,and the broader federal investigation into the union’s practices remains a backdrop to these developments.
The union representing Major League Baseball’s players is suddenly leaderless after a federal probe unearthed some salacious findings.
The MLB Players Association was already dealing with a lot — such as an ongoing federal investigation — when MLBPA Executive Director Tony Clark abruptly resigned on Tuesday, per ESPN.
To wit, the MLBPA was being investigated by federal authorities over a number of issues, such as the group’s finances and allegations of nepotism.
The union conducted its own internal probe on the matter, and its findings ultimately torpedoed Clark’s executive career.
The union’s investigation discovered that Clark had been in an inappropriate relationship with his sister-in-law, which ultimately led to Tuesday’s resignation.
MLBPA executive director Tony Clark resigned Tuesday, leaving the union without its longtime leader less than a year before the expiration of MLB’s collective bargaining agreement, sources told @JeffPassan and @DVNjr.
Sources also said that Clark resigned after an internal… pic.twitter.com/aYqaRm9JlG
— ESPN (@espn) February 17, 2026
Further muddying matters, that sister-in-law was hired by the MLBPA in 2023.
(Of note, it’s unclear if this scandal involves his wife’s sister or his brother’s wife.)
Confidence in Clark’s leadership was already waning as the broader federal investigation was underway.
The union’s internal findings all but cemented his resignation.
This headache for MLB began when a federal investigation was triggered by a whistleblower complaint against Clark in November 2024.
The complaint at the time alleged that Clark was misusing organizational resources, abusing his power, and engaging in nepotism.
Notably, one specific concern that was raised involved the construction of a new MLBPA office in Arizona, where Clark lives and where his sister-in-law worked after the building opened.
The 53-year-old Clark was hired into his now-former role in 2013. He was the first former player to hold such a lofty post.
Now, that decade-plus career is over — and it couldn’t have come at a worse time for the players represented by the MLBPA.
As the New York Post noted, this controversy and resignation are coming just months before the current MLB collective bargaining agreement expires on Dec. 1.
While Clark is expected to be replaced soon, it’s still not good for the players to be missing their leader as the MLBPA prepares to negotiate with league ownership on matters such as revenue splitting.
If the two sides fail to reach a deal, many are expecting the MLB to head toward a protracted and ugly lockout situation.
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