MLB Players Association Looking For Tony Clark Replacement After Resignation Over Sister-In-Law Scandal

The Major League Baseball Players Association is searching for a new executive director after Tony Clark resigned following revelations of an affair with his sister-in-law, an MLBPA employee.

The Major League Baseball Players Association has launched a search for a new executive director after Tony Clark resigned following an internal investigation into an “inappropriate” relationship with his sister-in-law, who joined the union in 2023.

It’s unclear who will replace Clark, though the MLBPA is expected to move quickly, with players ultimately voting on the next executive director, CBS Sports reports. Subcommittee member Brent Suter said an interim leader will step in to “keep everything as stable as we can this year.”

The MLBPA will have an interim leader, union subcommittee member Brent Suter said.

Suter has a sense of who it will be, but didn’t say who.

“We’re not going to get a search going. Bargaining here. We’re going to have an interim & keep everything as stable as we can this year.”
— Sam Blum (@SamBlum3) February 17, 2026

Clark announced his resignation Feb. 17 after an internal probe found he had an inappropriate relationship with his sister-in-law, a union employee of more than two years. The inquiry reportedly stemmed from a broader federal investigation into the finances of the Major League Baseball Players Association, launched last year.

Clark played in Major League Baseball from 1995 to 2009 before becoming the sixth executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association, making him the first former player to hold the position. But his resignation comes as the current collective bargaining agreement nears its Dec. 1 expiration, setting the stage for another tense round of negotiations between players and the league. The last talks led to a 99-day lockout in 2022-23, and Commissioner Rob Manfred has signaled that another work stoppage could be on the horizon.

“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 organization said in a statement. “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.”

Bruce Meyer, the union’s chief negotiator, has been unanimously named interim executive director of the MLBPA and said Clark’s departure “is not going to affect collective bargaining in any way,” emphasizing that contract talks will continue without disruption.