Bad Bunny's agency claims MLBPA issued 'death penalty' for sanctions - ESPN

Rimas Sports, the agency founded by recording artist Bad Bunny, accused the Major League Baseball Players Association of «placing a death penalty» on the agency through «a discriminatory, biased, and pre-determined investigation» into Rimas' business practices, according to a federal lawsuit the company filed Thursday.

On April 10, the MLBPA decertified Rimas agent William Arroyo and prevented Rimas executives Noah Assad and Jonathan Miranda from seeking certification after accusing the agency of providing improper benefits to players. Additionally, Rimas' other MLBPA-certified agent, Michael Velasquez, was threatened with decertification and quit the company, according to the lawsuit.

In a 27-page complaint filed in United States District Court in Puerto Rico, Rimas sought a temporary restraining order and injunction against the penalties levied by the union, which the company argued were «designed to put Rimas Sports permanently out of business.» The suit alleged that the MLBPA had «exceeded the scope of its statutory authority under the National Labor Relations Act» by extending sanctions on individuals to what amounts to the whole of the company. Rimas employees were previously denied a temporary restraining order to continue doing business, and, the complaint said, relief is warranted from overreach by the MLBPA that extends to the entire company.

«By blanketly prohibiting any MLBPA certified agents from affiliating with Rimas Sports and Rimas Entertainment in any capacity,» the complaint said, «the MLBPA has effectively placed a death-penalty sanction on Rimas Sports as an agency and prohibited Rimas Entertainment, which is not in the sports agency business and has never had a MLBPA Certified Agent, from