MLBPA bans ‘mole’ agent who once represented top Yankees stars

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NEW YORK — The Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA ) has issued one of its toughest penalties in years against a well-known agent who once represented several Yankees stars.

Jim Murray, formerly of WME Sports, accepted a four-year suspension and a $100,000 fine by MLBPA following allegations that he secretly provided confidential union information to Commissioner Rob Manfred’s office during the contentious 2020 COVID-19 negotiations.

Murray’s client roster has included some of the most recognized Yankees names. He previously represented Andy Pettitte and Adam Ottavino and currently works with rising talents Anthony Volpe and Austin Wells. Under the settlement terms, Murray is barred from negotiating contracts or collecting related fees during his suspension.

He may, however, continue to handle certain marketing matters for clients under limited conditions.

Secret communications exposed

The MLBPA investigation uncovered hundreds of text messages and emails between Murray and top Major League Baseball officials, revealing a damaging level of cooperation with the league during labor negotiations.

In a March 2020 message to Manfred, Murray urged the commissioner to resist union proposals that would have given players more financial flexibility through adjusted scheduling.

“PLEASE do not give in regarding the October language,” Murray wrote, according to documents obtained by The Athletic. “You will get the deal done without it.”

As talks grew tense, Murray’s tone became increasingly hostile toward the union’s leadership. When MLB’s chief communications officer, Pat Courtney, asked Murray about player sentiment in June 2020, the agent replied sharply.

“F the players,” Murray wrote. “I’m still so pissed off I can’t see straight.”

Courtney responded that the league needed players to turn their anger toward their leadership. Murray agreed, saying that was precisely his goal.

MLBPA identifies four categories of violations

The MLBPA outlined four categories of violations committed by Murray. Investigators determined that he undermined the union’s bargaining position, encouraged league officials to bypass union leadership, assisted MLB in reducing player pay, and obstructed the union’s inquiry into his actions.

The investigation also found that Murray provided talking points to MLB’s public relations department. In one June 2020 email to Courtney, he suggested lines such as “Please don’t blame us for salary reductions, please blame the crisis at-hand.”

In May 2020, Murray requested early access to league proposals before they reached players. “Send me the drafts!” he wrote to deputy commissioner Dan Halem. “I need to get ahead of this with the players ASAP as all of the media leaking is creating a groundswell that we don’t need.”

Murray’s communications extended to several senior MLB officials, including Noah Garden, who oversees media rights, and Morgan Sword, a top economics adviser to the league.

Previous controversies follow Murray

This isn’t the first time Murray has faced major disciplinary action. In February 2024, an arbitrator ruled that he and colleague Michael Stival violated their contracts when they left Excel Sports Management for WME Sports, taking 13 clients with them.

“This case is exceptionally egregious,” arbitrator Michael Gottesman wrote in his 70-page decision. “WME knew full well that Murray and Stival would be breaching their contracts.”

That proceeding produced documents later used in the union’s case. When WME recruited Murray, he submitted a biography crediting himself with helping to restart baseball in 2020.

“Jim also played a significant role in unprecedented labor negotiations in 2020, helping bring baseball back on the field during the pandemic,” Murray wrote in his professional summary.

Excel Sports Management, led by longtime agent Casey Close — best known for representing Derek Jeter — was Murray’s previous employer. During the union investigation, Murray claimed that Close instructed him to coordinate directly with league officials and had approved his communications. Close did not respond to requests for comment.

Union calls it betrayal

An internal Excel email from September 2021 labeled Murray as a “mole” for the commissioner’s office, questioning whose side he had taken during the pandemic negotiations.

In its five-page memo to player representatives, the MLBPA called Murray’s conduct a “betrayal” and warned players that owners “will go to extreme measures to get what they want, including by attempting to corrupt player agents into undermining player unity.”

The union concluded that Murray had effectively become “a de facto member” of the commissioner’s bargaining team and had built an alliance of “staggering breadth” with league executives.

Murray’s attorney, Christina Sarchio, disputed the characterization. “James Murray was not banned by the MLBPA; rather, Mr. Murray voluntarily agreed to a resolution that permits him to continue to provide certain services to current and future players,” Sarchio said in a statement.

She accused the MLBPA of presenting “cherry-picked, out-of-context quotes” while overlooking Murray’s 25-year record of player advocacy. Sarchio argued that his actions were consistent with those of other player representatives during that period.

League defends communications

Major League Baseball defended its contact with Murray. League spokesperson Glen Caplin said that such communications were not unusual during labor talks.

“In the history of labor negotiations in baseball, player representatives have often reached out to the commissioner’s office to express their views and help facilitate an agreement between the parties,” Caplin said.

The league also noted that following the 2020 negotiations, both sides filed bad-faith grievances that were later settled three years ago. Caplin suggested that those settlements should have closed the door on disputes arising from that era.

Still, the MLBPA views the Murray case as a rallying point. With the current collective bargaining agreement set to expire in December 2026, union leaders are already warning players to prepare for difficult talks ahead. The league’s ownership group has been discussing potential demands for a salary cap and other concessions.

Limited exceptions granted

Under the terms of the settlement, Murray can continue to advise four clients — Anthony Volpe, Wells, Jett Williams, and Jack Leiter — but he cannot negotiate or collect fees for their contracts. His involvement is restricted strictly to guidance on contract terms.

If Murray seeks reinstatement after the four-year suspension, he must pay an additional $150,000 fine.

Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ, once represented by Murray, played a central role in a 2024 internal union dispute that challenged executive director Tony Clark and deputy director Bruce Meyer. That conflict exposed long-standing friction among player agents, many of whom believed the union favored powerhouse agent Scott Boras.

“I believe the rivalry between agents and the demonization of players based on who their agent is presents the single biggest challenge to the union’s ability to fulfill its longstanding history of unity and accomplishment,” Meyer wrote in a letter to players during that time.

Murray’s ban comes as the Yankees continue to navigate their own player representation changes, given his ties to Volpe and Wells. For the Yankees, the union’s firm stance reinforces how critical trust and transparency remain within baseball’s labor system — especially as another round of collective bargaining looms on the horizon.

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