Fernando Tatis Jr. files lawsuit to void ‘exploitative’ business deal

San Diego Padres outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. is going to court against a company that offers baseball players upfront payments in exchange for a future cut of their MLB earnings.

Tatis Jr. is suing Big League Advance Fund and Big League Advantage, LLC (BLA), a company he agreed to a deal with in 2017. The Padres outfielder is accusing BLA of “exploitative, predatory business practices, which shamelessly push illegal loans on young, vulnerable athletes.”

In a release, Tatis added that he is “fighting this battle not just for myself but for everyone still chasing their dream and hoping to provide a better life for their family.”

Tatis signed a deal with BLC prior to agreeing a 14-year, $340M deal with the Padres in 2021. At the time he signed a BLA deal, he said he wanted to use the money to get a personal trainer and a better apartment. Even at that time, BLC’s business model was scrutinized by critics and accused of being exploitative of young players, many of whom came out of Latin America.

Former MLB catcher Francisco Mejia also tried to sue BLC in 2018, but eventually dropped the case.

Tatis is set for life, and can certainly take on a case like this. He is hitting .268 this season with 14 home runs and 34 RBI for the Padres.