Atlanta Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr. is expected to sign with Rimas Sports as his new representation in a marketing and off-field capacity, according to The Athletic’s Brittany Ghiroli.
Ghiroli reported last Friday that Rimas Sports, the agency co-founded by Grammy Award winner Bad Bunny, “is facing significant punishment” from the Major League Baseball Players Association.
“The exact reason for the discipline is unknown,” she wrote. “Rimas has been the subject of multiple complaints from other agencies to the Players Association, which oversees agent certification for both the major and minor leagues, multiple sources briefed on the matter said. The Players Association declined comment.”
William Arroyo, one of the two certified agents at Rimas Sports, reportedly had his MLBPA license revoked following allegations he offered prospective clients improper benefits.
“Multiple accounts from players and agents involve employees of Rimas offering large sums of money, cars and other incentives prohibited in MLBPA’s agent regulations to get players to switch agencies,” per Ghiroli.
She noted the rules are more relaxed when an agency is courting a player for marketing or business endeavors.
That might also help to explain why Acuña would sign with Rimas Sports at a time when the agency appears to be on such shaky ground for the time being.
In terms of his on-field earnings, there’s little for Acuña’s agent to do. In 2019, he signed an eight-year, $100 million extension with the Braves that carries him through the 2028 season. At the time, it looked like a team friendly contract for a budding young star, and the 26-year-old’s $17 million salary has only become more out of step with his value on the field.
Acuña is the reigning National League MVP after becoming the first player in MLB history to have 40 home runs and 70 stolen bases in the same season.
Following a slow start out of the gates, the dynamic outfielder is beginning to find his stroke again. He boasts a .400/.483/.600 slash line in the Braves’ last six games.
Especially after this past offseason, it’s tough to know for sure what Acuña’s market will look like when he’s eligible for free agency in 2029. As long as he stays on his current path, he’ll at least be headed toward a massive payday of some kind.
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