MLB players' association executive director Tony Clark has put his foot down when it comes to the idea of a salary cap in baseball.
"We are never going to agree to a cap," Clark told reporters this weekend, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today. "Let me start there. We don't have a cap. We're not going to agree to a cap."
MLB remains the only major North American sport without some kind of salary cap or floor system. The union has long resisted attempts by the league to add one, most notably during the infamous 1994 strike that led to the cancellation of that year's World Series.
The possibility of a cap was again raised in some circles following a winter of wild spending. New York Mets owner Steve Cohen led the way with a splashy offseason that saw his team's payroll spike above $350 million, an MLB record. The San Diego Padres also drew eyeballs - and even criticism from some corners - for their lavish spending. Overall, the league's average salary rose by 14.8% in 2022, reaching a record $4.22 million, according to The Associated Press.
Earlier this month, commissioner Rob Manfred created an economic reform committee. The committee was formed in the wake of both rising payrolls and the ongoing collapse of regional sports networks that's throwing many teams' local broadcast deals into flux.
Manfred suggested the economic reform committee, which is comprised solely of owners, is "an opportunity to rethink the revenue side of the house a little bit," according to Evan Drellich of The Athletic. Clark, however, feels the true goal of the committee is to eventually implement a cap - perhaps even in the next collective bargaining agreement.
"A salary cap is the ultimate restriction on player value and player salary," Clark said, per Nightengale. "We believe in a market system. The market system has served our players, our teams and our game very well."
"It's focused on how best to depress players' salaries. That's the underlying theme there."
Clark was effusive in his praise of teams' increased spending over the past winter, especially those in smaller markets such as the Padres.
MLB and the union averted a crisis by settling last winter's 99-day lockout before any regular-season games were lost. The current CBA expires after the 2026 season.
