MLBPA Head Tony Clark Expresses growing Concerns Over Player Safety Amid Rising Gambling Issues
October 25, 2025 – Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) Executive Director Tony Clark voiced escalating concerns regarding the safety and well-being of players as gambling’s influence on the sport continues to grow, speaking out as investigations unfold and threats against players surface. Clark emphasized that player safety remains the union’s top priority, even as MLB increasingly embraces gambling partnerships.
“We’ve had the concern as Day 1,” Clark said. “The safety and well-being of our players has always been paramount as soon as gambling became legal. That hasn’t changed since that time. We work closely with the league to ensure the safety and well-being of our players, so that remains front and center here, that along with the educating of our players, making sure that they understand what they can and can’t do, is consistent and constant.”
Clark’s comments come as MLB grapples with a series of gambling-related incidents. An umpire has already been fired, and several players have been suspended. Currently,Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz are under investigation and potentially face lifetime bans if found to have wagered on games in which they participated,according to a report by USA Today.
The MLBPA is advocating for the prohibition of prop bets, believing they create opportunities for accusations of game manipulation. “We’re in support of removing any types of bets, prop or otherwise, that could create issues for our guys on the field. We heard a lot about prop bets of late, and it was one of the things we were concerned about from Day 1 as well,” Clark stated.
Beyond the integrity of the game, the union and MLB are deeply troubled by the direct threats players and their families have received. Dozens of players reported experiencing death threats this year.
Clark revealed that players began reporting increased scrutiny from gambling entities almost instantly after gambling legalization. ”At the point in time when gambling became legalized in the states that it did, we had players within 24 hours reach out and suggest they were suddenly being followed by gambling sites and other entities,” he said.”It’s just a different world. And so every time again, something happens, our concerns become greater.”
To address these growing risks, the MLBPA has invested in enhanced security measures. “Our health and safety is first and foremost, and that’s why we hired the security director that we did, and why we work as diligently as we do to make sure that our players and their families are as protected as they can be amid the new habitat,” Clark concluded.
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