MLB players’ union asks court to confirm arbitration decision against Bad Bunny firm

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NEW YORK (AP) — The baseball players’ association asked a federal court to confirm an arbitrator’s decision denying an attempt by a baseball agent at Bad Bunny’s Rimas Sports firm to block the agent’s decertification by the union.

In a complaint filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, the Major League Baseball Players Association asked that a federal judge issue an order to confirm what the union said was a decision by arbitrator Michael Gottesman to deny a request for a temporary restraining order requested by William Arroyo of Rimas Sports and Noah Assad and Jonathan Miranda, two executives of the company.

The union said it issued a notice of discipline to the three on April 10 and fined them $400,000 for misconduct. Arroyo was an agent certified by the union to represent players and represented New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez and infielder Ronny Mauricio.

Assad and Miranda had applied for certification, the union said.

“After detailing extensive, serious violations of the MLBPA regulations, including those prohibiting inducements and unlawful recruiters and requiring cooperation with MLBPA investigations, the MLBPA revoked Mr. Arroyo’s certification and denied certification to applicants Messrs. Assad and Miranda,” the union said.

The union said it agreed to let Gottesman hear the application by the three for a temporary restraining order. Represented by lawyer Jeffrey Kessler, the union did not appear to file a copy of Gottesman’s decision with its complaint, which was first reported by ESPN.

Bad Bunny is one of the top-selling artists in the world whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio. The three-time Grammy winner launched Rimas Sports in April of 2023.

Rimas Sports did not immediately respond to a email seeking comment.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB