Photo: Patrick Breen-The Republic/USA Today Network

MLB Insider Slams Owners for Possible Lockout in 2026

Originally posted on On Tap Sports Net | By Rich Eberwein | Last updated Mar 25, 2025 6:05 PM ET

During an interview on Foul Territory, MLB insider Jeff Passan offered a sobering forecast for the sport of baseball if team owners follow through with work stoppage.

The collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the 30 MLB owners and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) is set to expire after the 2026 season. After a bitter series of negotiations prior to the 2022 season, where the owners implemented a three-month lockout that effectively froze free agency, the owners are again looking to use a lockout to gain leverage in the upcoming CBA negotiations.

The owners have been looking to implement a salary cap in MLB for years, and another salary cap proposal will likely be at the heart of the next CBA talks. The Player's Association has thoroughly rejected a salary cap in past negotiations, arguing that it would lead to decreased compensation for players and create less incentive for teams to spend money in free agency.

Passan argued that if the owners dig their heels in on a salary cap by using a lockout, it will derail the current momentum of the sport and likely result in less enthusiasm from fans and possibly an unnecessary freeze on games in 2027.

If MLB leans into pushing for a salary cap, you can expect them to lock out the players in December of 2026, says @JeffPassan.

"Is it worth it to take a great era of MLB, that we are in the midst of right now, and absolutely torpedo it in pursuit of financial gains?" pic.twitter.com/ciivgZlor8
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) March 25, 2025

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has been open about another lockout, and attempted to spin its potential usage as a positive thing for the sport. Although a full 162 game season was played in 2022, Spring Training was canceled that year and the CBA negotiations could have easily chipped away at the regular season.

To Passan's point, fans are currently experiencing a fun era of baseball. Although some of the recent rule changes have been controversial at first, implementing things like the pitch clock has led to a more fast-paced product that is attractive to new fans. Increasing the size of the bases and limiting pickoff attempts have also contributed to more stolen bases in recent years, and more exciting action on the base paths.

Not to mention the fact that baseball fans are currently watching probably the most talented player to ever take the field in Shohei Ohtani, who is setting records that we have never seen before.

Passan's interview came a day after former MLB pitcher Andrew Miller appeared on Foul Territory. Miller was hired as a Special Assistant to the Player's Association last July, and he also picked apart the arguments for a salary cap.