It’s not just about winning games anymore — it’s about affording the roster to even compete. Rob Manfred is starting to see the mounting pressure to make changes. With the 2026 CBA deadline coming up, conversations about a salary cap are heating up.
But there’s one problem — the players’ union isn’t buying it.
Manfred Admits Growing Pressure Over Disparities
MLB is reaching a key moment, with the existing Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between MLB and the MLB Players Association scheduled to expire on December 1, 2026.
One major topic that will be front and center in the upcoming negotiations is the big financial gap between teams, commonly known as MLB’s “massive disparity problem.”
The gap in finances among MLB teams has grown significantly, with big-market franchises like the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets spending heavily on player salaries. The Dodgers’ luxury tax payroll hit $353 million in 2024, leading to a hefty $103 million tax bill. Meanwhile, smaller teams like the Oakland Athletics kept their payrolls below $84 million.
“I am really cognizant of it, and I’m sympathetic to fans in smaller markets who go into the season feeling like they don’t have a chance in the world to win. … When you sit in a small market, you watch the big-market guys signing guys all winter long, and your guys are doing nothing, that hurts the business,” Manfred stated via Tess DeMeyer of NYTimes.com
Manfred understands that just because payrolls are high, it doesn’t mean success is assured.
“Massive disparity problem that we need to address,” he added.
Those who support a cap say that it would help level the playing field by stopping teams from spending too much and giving all of them an equal chance to thrive. The MLBPA, on the other hand, has always been against the idea, seeing it as something that would get in the way of players’ ability to earn money.
“MLB refuses to adopt a salary cap, yet teams continually sign players to guaranteed contracts that extend into the age of 40+. You think a 40-year-old position player is going to produce enough to justify that kind of money? No, but they don’t care without a salary cap in place,” said an X user favoring the salary cap.
However, baseball analyst Jeff Passan stated on a Foul Territory interview that the salary cap most likely wouldn’t happen. He said, “I hope they don’t push for it, because if they do push for it, we’re not going to see baseball.”
“How hard they lean into the idea that a salary cap is a must-have this time around. If they do that means that they are prepared to shut down the sport.” he added.
This argument has roots in the 1994–1995 strike, which ended with the cancellation of the World Series because of differences over proposed pay caps.