Two MLBPA Execs Fired With Cause as Union Faces Federal Heat
The Major League Baseball Players Association just fired two top executives following an internal investigation. Xavier James, the union's chief operating officer, and Michael O'Neill, the head of human resources, are both out as of Wednesday, sources told ESPN. This comes months after executive director Tony Clark resigned in February.
What Triggered the Investigation
The Eastern District of New York launched a federal investigation into the MLBPA last year, focusing on alleged financial improprieties at the union. The exact reasons for James and O'Neill's terminations remain unclear, but attorney Adam Braverman, who conducted an internal investigation commissioned by the players themselves, delivered his report to the MLBPA on Wednesday. The union plans to share findings with federal investigators.
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👉 Claim Your Free $10 at KalshiClark's February resignation was tied to revelations from that same internal investigation: an inappropriate relationship with his sister-in-law, who worked at the union. Back in November 2024, an anonymous whistleblower complaint filed with the National Labor Relations Board alleged that Clark had engaged in misuse of resources, self-dealing, nepotism, and abuse of power. The MLBPA called those allegations "baseless" and "entirely without merit" in a statement.
New Leadership Steps Up
Longtime major leaguer Chris Capuano, who has worked at the union since 2019, takes over as the new COO. Ian Penny, a former general counsel at the union now serving as an adviser to executive director Bruce Meyer, was named interim chief HR officer.
The timing of all this chaos matters. The current collective bargaining agreement expires December 1, and MLB owners plan to push for a salary cap during negotiations. The players' union opposes that hard. If no deal gets done by the deadline, a lockout is likely, just like what happened in 2021. Sources said a deal by the deadline is doubtful.
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