Baseball's All-Stars don't like
MLB's salary cap proposal but say there's time to find a deal
[July 14, 2026]
By RONALD BLUM
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Paul Skenes, Juan Soto and Bryce Harper are
among baseball’s All-Stars who say players will never agree to a
salary cap but maintain there’s plenty of time to avoid a conflict
that could shorten the 2027 season.
“Both sides kind of have their line that they’re not going to
cross," Skenes, the Pittsburgh Pirates ace who is also a member of
the union's eight-man negotiating committee, said Monday. “Whether
that results in missing games or missing a season, we’ll see.”
Baseball's five-year labor contract expires Dec. 1 and MLB is
expected to immediately lock out players. The more consequential
deadline is in late February or early March, when Major League
Baseball would announce whether it was postponing opening day.
Owners proposed a salary cap for the first time since the union
fought off MLB's cap plan with a 7 1/2-month strike in 1994-95 that
caused the first cancellation of the World Series since 1904.
Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred says a cap is needed to lessen
payroll disparity.
Soto, who signed a record $765 million, 15-year-old contract with
the New York Mets as a free agent after the 2024 season, would be
limited to a $265 million, six-year deal under MLB's proposal.
“Yeah, that sucks,” Soto said. “It shouldn’t be there.”
MLB’s proposal would cap spending in 2027 at $245.3 million, using
figures for luxury tax payrolls that include $20.1 million for
benefits and the pre-arbitration bonus pool. It also would establish
a payroll floor of $171.2 million, forcing some teams to spend more.
The Los Angeles Dodgers, baseball’s biggest spenders, had a $415.2
million payroll on opening day this year. MLB has not made a
proposal on how to phase in a cap, a process that would be key for
high-spending clubs such as the Dodgers.
Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout, at 34 in the eighth season
of a $426.5 million, 12-year contract, said players are aware of the
proposal's intent.
“It’s trying to minimize the years and obviously the totals. For
sure, we see that,” he said. “I think baseball's in a good spot
right now and we can’t mess this up."
Harper, in the eighth season of a $330 million, 13-year contract
with Philadelphia, said he couldn't conceive of any scenario in
which the players' association would agree to a cap.
“The opportunity for players to get paid is what this is all about,”
Harper said, citing the union's legacy of fighting MLB since Curt
Flood helped unite players in the 1970s. “We owe it to the guys that
have come before us to do the same thing.”
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Pittsburgh Pirates' Braxton Ashcraft, left, and Paul Skenes arrive
to speak with the media during the MLB baseball All-Star Week,
Monday, July 13, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Harper, who signed his first major league contract
at age 17, also vowed to fight MLB's proposal to ban a player from
signing until he was at least 20 years old by the Sept. 1 of his
signing year and two years removed from the graduating year of his
high school class. MLB says college baseball provides a better
development path.
“If you’re in the top three rounds as a high school
kid, I think you should be able to do whatever you want,” Harper
said. “It would really be tough for a guy like Jackson Holliday to
not be the number one pick and not get the chance to go to the big
leagues at 19 or 18 if he’s able to.”
Bargaining began in May and is expected to resume after the All-Star
break. The union has asked for expanded free agency and salary
arbitration rights along with almost doubling the major league
minimum.
Pirates pitcher Braxton Ashcraft viewed the early negotiations as
“back-and-forth proposals that may or may not be unrealistic.”
Skenes, a 24-year-old right-hander in his second full big league
season, could see a sharp decrease in potential contract offers
under MLB's system. He currently is on track to become a free agent
after the 2029 season and has a $1,085,000 salary in his last season
before arbitration eligibility. He also has earned nearly $5.6
million from the pre-arbitration bonus pool that started in 2022.
“MLB is kind of presenting their perfect-world offers and we’re kind
of presenting our perfect-world offers," Skenes said. “So there’s a
lot of time before there’s any real movement, I think.”
San Diego's Mason Miller, baseball's top closer, also could become a
free agent following the 2029 season. A 27-year-old right-hander, he
is earning $4 million this season.
“I still have some optimism,” he said. “The place that the game's at
right now, I think killing that momentum is kind of fruitless for
everybody.”
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AP Assistant Sports Editor Jake Seiner contributed to this report.
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