MLBPA bans prominent agent for allegedly sharing confidential info with league office

WME Sports agent Jim Murray – who was formerly Anthony Volpe’s agent along with other MLB stars – was banned by the Major League Baseball Players Association for four years and fined $100,000 for double-dealing with the MLB commissioner’s office during negotiations to play a 2020 season. 

The Athletic reported that the MLBPA had alleged that Murray had given up confidential union intel to the MLB and helped the league come up with its proposal while the two sides were negotiating how to make a 2020 MLB season work amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 

As part of a settlement, Murray would have to pay $150,000 to reapply to be a certified agent after his four-year ban is up and during his decertification for the four years he is not able to negotiate playing contracts. 

He is still able to advise existing clients in other ways, The Athletic reported.

The MLB and MLBPA have not publicly commented on the report. 

The MLBPA and Murray came to a settlement on Wednesday, which was one day shy of when the issue was going to be heard by an arbitrator, after the union had at first banned Murray for life, which he had appealed.

Murray had previously gotten himself into hot water, which intersected with the current drama, last year, after he jumped from Excel Sports Management to WME Sports after it was ruled by an arbitrator that he flagrantly breached his contract by the move. 

According to The Athletic’s reporting, when was being recruited to jump ship to WME, he submitted a bio in which he took ownership of helping to bring baseball back for the 2020 season.

“Jim also played a significant role in unprecedented labor negotiations in 2020, helping bring baseball back on the field during the pandemic,” he had written, according to the arbitrator’s ruling in that case.