Tony Clark resigns as head of MLB Player's Association ahead of labor talks

Clark's decision came during a U.S. Attorney investigation into OneTeam Partners, a licensing company founded by the union

Published on Feb. 20, 2026

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Tony Clark has resigned as the head of the Major League Baseball Players Association, according to a person familiar with the union's deliberations. Clark's decision came during an investigation by the U.S. Attorney in Brooklyn, New York, into OneTeam Partners, a licensing company founded by the union, the NFL Players Association and RedBird Capital Partners in 2019.

Why it matters

Clark's resignation comes at a critical time for the players' union, as it prepares to negotiate a new labor agreement with MLB. The investigation into OneTeam Partners could be a distraction as the union looks to secure a favorable deal for players.

The details

Clark, who has led the union since 2013, resigned ahead of the expected start of collective bargaining in April for an agreement to replace the five-year labor contract that expires on December 1. Management appears on track to propose a salary cap, which could lead to a work stoppage and the cancellation of regular-season games for the first time since 1995.

  • Clark resigned on Tuesday, February 18, 2026.
  • The union's executive board met on Tuesday and planned to meet again on Wednesday to consider next steps.
  • The investigation by the U.S. Attorney in Brooklyn, New York, into OneTeam Partners has been ongoing.

The players

Tony Clark

The former executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association, who resigned from his position on Tuesday.

Bruce Meyer

The deputy executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association, who is set to be the primary negotiator in the upcoming labor talks.

Marcus Semien

A member of the union's eight-man executive subcommittee, who believes Clark is leaving to deal with the probe into OneTeam Partners.

Adam L. Braverman

A former U.S. associate deputy attorney general and U.S. attorney in Los Angeles, who was hired by the union's executive subcommittee as outside counsel.

Michael Weiner

The former head of the Major League Baseball Players Association, who died in 2013, leading to Clark's promotion to executive director.

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What they’re saying

“A lot of people have known that the investigation has been going on. I think that this happening during the investigation is not like, as a subcommittee, is not like overly surprising, but it still hurts and it's still something I'm processing.”

— Marcus Semien, Member of the union's eight-man executive subcommittee

“I think so, because up to this point, before any investigations, I've had the ultimate confidence in Tony Clark to lead this player group. I've had the ultimate confidence in Bruce Meyer to be the lead negotiator for this player group.”

— Marcus Semien, Member of the union's eight-man executive subcommittee

What’s next

The union's executive board plans to meet again on Wednesday to consider its next steps in finding a successor for Tony Clark.

The takeaway

Clark's resignation comes at a critical time for the players' union as it prepares to negotiate a new labor agreement with MLB. The investigation into OneTeam Partners could be a distraction, and the union will need strong leadership to secure a favorable deal for players amid management's push for a salary cap.