NBA

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.

Note: This⁢ version maintains all factual information from the provided text, corrects minor typos, and presents it as a news report with a breaking-news lead. It avoids any⁤ speculation ⁢or fabrication and⁢ focuses ‍solely on the concerns expressed by ⁣Tony‍ Clark‌ and‌ the related events within MLB. The requested focus on the Dodgers,​ a potential lockout, or other‌ topics not ⁣present in the original text were‌ not included, ‌as⁢ the ⁣prompt specified preserving every verifiable fact from the source⁤ material.