Tony Clark is stepping down as executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association, a stunning development that leaves the union leaderless approximately nine months before a likely labor war with ownership.
The Athletic first reported Clark’s resignation Tuesday morning, with ESPN and USA Today confirming the news. Clark had been scheduled to begin the union’s annual spring training tour of all 30 teams this morning, starting with the Cleveland Guardians. That meeting was abruptly canceled.
Federal Probe Coincides With Looming CBA Deadline
Clark’s exit comes amid an ongoing federal investigation by the Eastern District of New York into alleged financial improprieties at the union. Prosecutors have been examining whether Clark gave himself equity in OneTeam Partners, a licensing venture the MLBPA co-founded with the NFL Players Association and RedBird Capital Partners in 2019, and whether he adequately disclosed resources funneled to Players Way, an MLBPA-owned youth baseball initiative.
The whistleblower complaint that triggered the investigation, filed in November 2024, accused Clark of self-dealing, misuse of union resources, and nepotism. Players Way spent at least $3.9 million over approximately six years while hosting only a handful of live events, according to ESPN reporting. Some sources familiar with the union’s finances told ESPN the actual figure was closer to $10 million.
The timing could not be worse for players. The current collective bargaining agreement expires December 1, and what was expected to be one of the most contentious negotiations in decades now has no leader steering the ship. Owners have been openly discussing the implementation of a salary cap, something the union has resisted since Marvin Miller first built the MLBPA into one of the most powerful labor organizations in professional sports.
Commissioner Rob Manfred told The Athletic in early 2025 that a lockout is, “in a bizarre way, actually a positive” for the league, noting the leverage it provides. The players know what’s coming. They’ve been building a war chest from licensing revenue, withholding 100% of 2024 licensing money to prepare for a potential work stoppage.
The last lockout, in 2021–22, lasted 99 days before the sides reached an agreement that preserved a full 162-game season. This next one could be far uglier. Owners want fundamental changes to baseball’s economic structure, including a cap system that would make MLB resemble the NFL, NBA, and NHL. Player leadership has indicated it won’t even entertain the notion.
MLBPA Internal Turmoil Predates Resignation
Clark’s departure compounds problems that have been simmering within the MLBPA for years. In March 2024, a significant faction of players attempted to oust Bruce Meyer, the union’s deputy executive director and lead negotiator, in favor of Harry Marino, the lawyer who spearheaded the unionization of minor league players. That effort ultimately failed after Clark declined to fire Meyer, but it exposed deep divisions about the union’s direction heading into bargaining.
Meyer remains in place as deputy executive director and lead negotiator, but the institutional knowledge Clark brought after more than a decade in the role will be difficult to replace on the fly. Clark, 53, took over as executive director in December 2013 following the death of his predecessor, Michael Weiner. He was the first former player to hold the position, having spent 15 seasons as a first baseman with the Detroit Tigers, Arizona Diamondbacks, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and San Diego Padres. He was an All-Star in 2001.
The union’s 72-member executive board will need to determine interim leadership while the investigation continues and ownership sharpens its knives for December. The eight-player executive subcommittee, which includes 2025 Cy Young winners Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal, will carry significant influence in determining next steps.
Agents and players across the industry reacted with shock Tuesday morning. FanSided’s Robert Murray reported one agent’s response as simply: “Holy s—.”
Whatever momentum the players had built this winter in the court of public opinion evaporates with Clark walking out the door under the cloud of federal scrutiny. Owners are expected to lock them out in December. That was always the plan. Without their leader, the players now face that fight with one hand tied behind their back.