Players’ union withdrew grievance against Rays over revenue sharing

The MLB Players Association withdrew its grievance against the Tampa Bay Rays last December, nearly eight years after filing it.

The union had accused the Rays and three other low-payroll teams of not adequately spending revenue-sharing money.

Baseball’s collective bargaining agreement requires teams receiving those funds to use them to improve their on-field product, but does not require direct spending on player salaries.

The union has not explained why it dropped the complaint against the Rays, and the status of its grievances against the other teams is unclear.

The decision came a few months after Patrick Zalupski completed his purchase of the Rays, and the team later won approval for a Tampa-area stadium planned to open in 2029.

The grievance’s withdrawal has renewed attention to baseball’s competitive balance, as the Rays reached the World Series despite having one of MLB’s lowest payrolls.

The current labor agreement expires on December 1, and MLB plans to impose a lockout when it ends; the league and union are expected to continue negotiating over changes to the system.