Decertified agent, trying to rep MLB clients, denied
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Alden Gonzalez, ESPN Staff Writer
An arbitrator denied Rimas Sports’ request for a temporary restraining order that would have allowed its main baseball agent, William Arroyo, to continue representing clients while navigating an appeal of his decertification, according to a court document obtained by ESPN.
The decision was made by arbitrator Michael Gottesman on Friday. On Monday, the Major League Baseball Players’ Association made the procedural step of filing a motion with the Southern District of New York asking that the court uphold his decision.
Arroyo originally had his agent certification revoked on April 10 in the wake of an MLBPA investigation about improper benefits provided to players. Jonathan Miranda and Noah Assad, two prominent executives for the Bad Bunny-led agency, were also denied their applications for certification. Michael Velazquez, another certified agent who recently joined Rimas, must leave the agency by May 10 or face potential decertification, sources with knowledge of the situation said.
The MLBPA’s penalty against Rimas consists of a $400,000 fine and, according to sources, a five-year suspension for Arroyo. Additionally, the notice of discipline prevents Miranda and Assad from applying for agent certification for five years, sources said. If upheld, the ruling would essentially end Rimas Sports’ short-lived quest to represent baseball players in contract negotiations with major league teams. Rimas plans to file a full appeal of the decision through the American Arbitration Association by a May 10 deadline, sources familiar with the situation told ESPN. Spokespeople for the MLBPA and Rimas declined comment.
Within one week of Rimas’ official launch in mid-April 2023, the MLBPA received evidence the company had offered players cash and gifts to switch agencies, according to sources. Section 5 of the MLBPA’s agent regulations states that no agent “shall provide, cause to provide or promise to provide any money or any other thing of value to any player, or any person related to or associated with such player” for the purposes of persuading him to join or remain with an agency.
Bad Bunny, the world-famous Puerto Rican rapper and singer, launched the sports-management agency in April 2023 alongside his manager, Assad, who founded the independent record label Rimas Entertainment. Miranda was brought in as president. With the launch, Bad Bunny — the stage name of Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio — hoped to follow in the footstep of hip-hop icon Jay-Z, who launched Roc Nation’s sports-management division in 2013 and signed major clients across sports, such as the NBA’s LaMelo Ball, the NFL’s Saquon Barkley and MLB’s CC Sabathia.
Rimas Sports focused on young Latin American baseball players, bringing in New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez, Mets infield prospect Ronny Mauricio, Colorado Rockies shortstop Ezequiel Tovar, Cincinnati Reds infielder Santiago Espinal and Los Angeles Dodgers catching prospect Diego Cartaya. Most of those players requested to be placed on the MLBPA’s Do Not Contact list, preventing other agents from recruiting them while Rimas’ standing is unsettled, a source said.
The company recently signed reigning National League MVP Ronald Acuna Jr. and is currently handling his marketing deals. The expectation, according to sources familiar with the situation, was that Rimas would eventually also represent Acuna in baseball matters. But the MLBPA’s investigation and subsequent penalties has cast that into serious doubt.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan and Jorge Castillo contributed to this report.
ST. LOUIS — Cardinals first baseman Willson Contreras was not in the lineup Wednesday against the Colorado Rockies a day after he was hit in the foot by a pitch and broke his bat in frustration.
Contreras, listed as day-to-day with a right foot contusion, was hit by Rockies starter Kyle Freeland‘s sweeper in the fourth inning. He then slammed his bat into the dirt and snapped it over his knee.
As he walked toward first base, the 33-year-old threw the two pieces of the broken bat toward the Cardinals’ dugout.
He remained in the game until the sixth inning, when he was replaced by Nolan Gorman.
The Cardinals said X-rays did not reveal any structural damage in Contreras’ foot.
Contreras has been hit by a National League-leading 18 pitches this season, trailing only Randy Arozarena and Ty France.
Contreras leads the Cardinals with 16 home runs and 65 RBIs.
ARLINGTON, Texas — The Texas Rangers put struggling slugger Adolis García on the 10-day injured list with a sprained left ankle and activated outfielder Evan Carter.
Texas, which is chasing an American League wild-card berth, made the moves their series finale against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday.
Another outfielder, Wyatt Langford, was held out of the lineup because of forearm stiffness, but manager Bruce Bochy said he could be available to pinch-hit.
García is hitting .224 with 16 homers and 64 RBIs in 116 games. He hit .176 (6 for 34) during the nine-game homestand that ended with Wednesday’s game.
Carter, who turns 23 later this month, missed 10 games because of back spasms. He was in a 4-for-34 slump when he was placed on the IL on Aug. 2. He hit .238 with four homers and 21 RBIs in 55 games before then.
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