MLB insider confirms owners preparing for worst-case scenario

The looming threat of a Major League Baseball lockout at the end of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) was enough to cause baseball fans to worry about the state of the sport. However, words from one MLB insider on Monday caused that worry to spike with a confirmed possibility of a worst-case scenario dooming the 2027 campaign.

In a Threads discussion, MLB insider Jeff Passan stated that not only are MLB owners prepared to lock out players when the current CBA expires on Dec. 1, but they are also prepared to dig in for as long as possible in order to have their hopes for a new CBA realized.

Among those hopes are the institution of a salary cap and floor beginning with the 2027 season, a measure aimed at instituting parity into the MLB season and ensuring all franchises spend to field a competitive team. 

That, however, has been met with sharp resistance from the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA), with interim executive director Bruce Meyer saying, "It's a cap on player salaries. Not a cap on the commissioner's salary. Not a cap on the commissioner's private jet. Not a cap on the owners' profits. Not a cap on their franchise values. It holds down their labor costs."

But that resistance hasn't buckled the owners' resolve. In fact, Passan said some owners are prepared to forfeit the entire 2027 season to get their way.

Could a lockout happen in MLB?

When answering a question on if a potential lockout could impact dealings at this year's MLB trade deadline, Passan wrote, "It's absolutely affecting some teams' approaches. There are owners that believe there won't be a single game next season, so they're telling their GMs to price that into their trade deliberations. Will it have a significant effect? I won't go that far. But does that possibility exist? Absolutely."

It's Passan's second sentence that is what could be a doomsday scenario for the sport. With baseball riding a high in 2026 after a riveting World Baseball Classic in March and MLB television ratings still rising in the midst of World Cup mania this summer, a lost season could absolutely be the equivalent of a nuclear winter for baseball. 

Yes, a 2027 season that was entirely scratched would not only get rid of any momentum the sport is currently riding, but also potentially plummet interest in the years ahead.

Passan gives a nightmare scenario in his answer, but it is still one that is an absolute possibility. It could even be more of a possibility if owners are already preparing for what could be after the CBA's clock strikes on Dec. 1.

As MLB's trade deadline on Aug. 3 continues to gather attention currently, expect much of the talk after the deadline to focus on what could be to come in the offseason. While the last few weeks of the regular season often have a focus on the postseason, it's clear this fall could be unlike any other since the 1994 World Series was lost to a strike.