MLB Players Reportedly See Pursuit of Salary Cap in CBA Talks as 'Declaration of War'

As MLB owners continue to push for the implementation of a salary cap in the next collective bargaining agreement, players are reportedly gearing up to battle it out.

According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, MLB players "plan to refuse any such entreaties, regarding a continued pursuit of a cap as a declaration of war."

The current CBA will expire on Dec. 1, 2026, and Passan noted that continued discussions about a salary cap "could presage the fate of the 2027 season." Sources told Passan that the owners "have not yet decided whether they will take the biggest run at the implementation of a cap since 1994, when the union's refusal to budge on the matter led to the cancellation of the World Series."

Still, the players are preparing to face a strong push for a salary cap. Despite the deadline for a new CBA being over a year away, things have already become tense between the league and the MLB Players Association.

In July, Passan reported that Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper "stood nose to nose with" MLB commissioner Rob Manfred and told him to "get the f--k out of our clubhouse" if he wanted to discuss the implementation of a salary cap. Passan noted that Manfred didn't even use the term "salary cap," but bringing up the economic state of the league "raised the ire" of Harper.

Despite the contention from players, MLB owners still view the salary cap as a viable solution to control spending and create competitive balance in the league.

"The only way to fix baseball is to do a salary cap and a floor," Colorado Rockies owner Dick Monfort said earlier this year.