MLBPA takes swipe at Bad Bunny's Rimas Sports Agency for allegedly promising $200,000 interest-free loans to lure players
The MLBPA recently bared to the court that Bad Bunny's Rimas Sports Agency violated several of its regulations. Specifically, Section 5 of the MLBPA's agent regulations that states no agent shall provide gifts or any money to any player or associated persons for the purpose of persuading or continuing with an agency.
In a recent report by The Athletic's Evan Drellich, the Major League Baseball Players' Association or MLBPA stated in a Puerto Rican court that Rimas Sports Agency improperly offered a $200,000 interest-free loan. It was an attempt to coax the said player, whose identity remains a secret, to sign with the agency.
In addition, the agency allegedly gifted a different player a present worth $19,500 upon signing with the sports firm. On April 10, the players' association nullified the certification of William Arroyo, Rimas Sports' main baseball agent, for allegedly offering improper benefits to players.
Also included in the sanctions are Noah Assad and Jonathan Miranda, founders of the Rimas Sports Agency. The agency is barred from applying for certification for five years on top of a $400,000 fine from the players' association.
The sports agency currently represents several MLB players across different teams. They include the Mets' Francisco Alvarez, Cincinnati's Santiago Espinal, San Francisco's Wilmer Flores, Oakland's Jordan Diaz and Colorado's Yonathan Daza and Ezequiel Tovar.
Per ESPN' Alden Gonzalez, Bad Bunny's Rimas Sports requested for a temporary restraining order to be able to represent the stated players continuously. However, it was denied by an arbitrator.
A brief history of the MLBPA-banned Rimas Sports Agency
In April 2023, Bad Bunny, his manager Noah Asad, and Jonathan Miranda came together to found the Rimas Sports Agency. They immediately named Baseball Hall of Famer Pudge Rodriguez as their ambassador.
As stated in the website, the company prides itself in representing Latin-American talent in sports. The agency's most recent acquisiton is perhaps the most popular Latin-American MLB superstar today, Ronald Acuña Jr.
"We are thrilled to welcome the Acuña family to Rimas Sports. Ronald is a once-in-a-generation player, and we are confident that together we will take his extraordinary career to new heights.” Jonathan Miranda, CEO Rimas Sports, via Acoustyle Communications
Though the company has yet to make a statement about Acuña's involvement with the agency, Brittany Gihroli of The Athletic reported that he will be primarily utilized in a marketing capacity.