Overview

• During one of his annual team visits, Commissioner Rob Manfred raised economic issues that players interpreted as a push for a hard salary cap.
• Harper stood nose to nose with Manfred and told him to “get the f––– out of our clubhouse,” prompting the commissioner to reply that he would not leave.
• Veteran outfielder Nick Castellanos intervened with questions to defuse the more than hour-long session, which ended in a handshake but saw Harper ignore Manfred’s calls the next day.
• Owners cite widening payroll gaps under the luxury-tax system and falling broadcast revenues to justify a cap, while the MLBPA condemns it as “institutionalized collusion.”
• With the collective bargaining agreement set to expire on December 1, 2026, both sides remain entrenched and face the real prospect of a work stoppage.