Orioles pitcher Chris Bassitt said Major League Baseball potentially implementing a salary cap “doesn’t fix anything” as the possibility of a lockout looms after the 2026 season.
Bassitt, who signed a one-year, $18.5 million contract with Baltimore last week, was among eight players named to the Major League Baseball Players Association’s executive subcommittee in December 2024 — a role that places him at the center of labor discussions as the collective bargaining agreement nears expiration.
“The salary cap doesn’t fix anything,” Bassitt, 36, said Wednesday, according to the Baltimore Banner. “If you look at every major sport that has a salary cap, we have the best parity. The salary cap is not the issue. Having suppressed salaries across the league so owners can make more money is not the answer.”
MLB owners are expected to push for a salary cap “no matter what it takes” when the current CBA expires in December, a source told The Athletic last month.
Talks of a possible lockout accelerated this offseason when the reigning back-to-back World Series champion Dodgers added star outfielder Kyle Tucker on a $240 million contract.
Los Angeles’ projected luxury tax payroll for 2026 is an MLB-leading $410,771,686, per Cot’s Contracts, which is larger than the bottom four payroll clubs combined.
Beyond the Dodgers, the Mets’ three-year, $126 million signing of Bo Bichette “raised dander” across the sport — fueling speculation that New York and Los Angeles could be the organizations opposed to a salary cap, per The Athletic.
A veteran of 11 MLB seasons, Bassitt insisted that MLB’s parity, even with lavish spending by the Dodgers and Mets, is superior to the other major sports.
“Like, if I tell you in 25 years, the Dodgers will be going to 10 World Series and winning seven of them, is that an issue?” Bassitt said. “Because that’s the [New England] Patriots. The Chiefs have been to six or seven [Super Bowls]. The Philadelphia Eagles have been to four or five. The parity in our sport is better than any other sport.
“So, we will make changes to try to help the so-called bottom teams out, but a salary cap and suppressing salaries and taking from players to try to help the so-called bottom teams spend more, that is not the answer, because again, if you’re trying to make a competitive league across the board, we have proof that every single league has less parity than ours.”
The union’s labor fight saw an unexpected twist Tuesday when MLBPA executive director Tony Clark shockingly resigned over reports of an alleged inappropriate relationship with his sister-in-law.
Clark’s abrupt ouster left the union without a key voice ahead of the critical labor discussions, but several player reps have downplayed the situation.
Tigers ace Tarik Skubal does not think Clark’s exit “has any impact on negotiating,” while Yankees representative Austin Wells said the players “have a lot of confidence in our executive subcommittee” as the MLBPA looks to name an interim executive director.
Bassitt praised Clark on Tuesday for his role in helping “grow the game” but echoed his fellow players’ sentiments.
“I understand that there’s a sense…there’s weakness all of a sudden,” Bassitt said. “The reality is, no matter who’s in charge, our strength is the players and I don’t think for a second that has changed. We will continue to fight and protect our rights.”