Brad Penner-Imagn Images
The MLB Players Association is historically one of the strongest and most important labor unions in American history. But it appears that it is about to have its will tested in a way that we’ve never seen before.
The current Major League Baseball Collective Bargaining Agreement expires at 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 1, 2026, and the two sides are already discussing the framework of a new CBA to avoid a labor stoppage.
However, MLB owners are insistent upon including a salary cap system for the first time in league history, which the players are vehemently opposed to.
“That’s something this union has fought against for decades, based on our belief that it’s bad for players at all levels,” MLBPA interim head Bruce Meyer said of the proposal. “And not just monetarily, bad for freedom, bad for competition, eliminates truly guaranteed money. Bad, bad for the fans, in our view, bad for players at every level, particularly bad for the middle class. … Fundamentally, that system is anti-competitive. It’s a form of institutionalized collusion.”
However, despite the MLBPA’s protestations, owners are not backing down.
MLB Owners Insist On Salary Cap In New CBA
Despite the MLBPA stating that it will not accept any CBA that includes a salary cap, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred says that the change is necessary for the future of the league.
“We have tried mightily over several rounds of bargaining to use a competitive balance tax to address competitive concerns, and sometimes you’ve got to admit you failed,” Manfred said recently at the league’s annual owners’ meeting.
“When you see more and more tax getting paid, you realize that is not the kind of speed bump that would help on the issue of competitive balance,” he added.
Manfred seemingly has an interesting definition of “failed,” as MLB team values have never been higher than they are currently. And demand for teams is equally high, with the league even exploring expansion.
It’s hard to imagine that demand for new teams would exist in a failing league. But either way, it appears we’re headed for a long, ugly standoff between the league and its players.