Major League Baseball and the Players Association (MLBPA) are currently at odds over the potential implementation of a salary cap in the next collective bargaining agreement (CBA).
At the start of negotiations last month, the league’s first proposal to the union included a hard salary cap. MLBPA interim executive director Bruce Meyer immediately responded that players remain steadfast against MLB imposing a salary cap.
Will Smith, who serves as the union representative for the Dodgers, said the team will vote against any CBA offer that includes a salary cap, via Jack Harris of the California Post.
Just like in every other MLB clubhouse, Smith will apprise his Dodgers teammates of each new proposal, and solicit feedback from the room to take back to the union.
“We got one vote as the Dodgers,” he noted.
Smith implied that players are united in making sure an MLB salary cap never materializes.
“[The league is] trying to get a salary cap, they’re gonna do anything they can to get it,” Smith said. “And we’re gonna do everything we can to fight it.”
This marks the first time that team owners and MLBPA are in disagreement over a salary cap since 1994, which of course led to the players going on strike for 232 days. One of the fallouts from that contentious period was the cancellation of the 1994 World Series.
The strike ended on April 2, 1995, when then-U.S. District Judge Sonia Sotomayor, who now serves on the U.S. Supreme Court, issued a preliminary injunction against team owners and ruled they and the players needed to use the terms of the expired CBA until a new one could be agreed to.
MLB previously had a lockout that lasted roughly three months and delayed the start of the 2022 regular season. Should the sport get locked out again, it would not be surprising if this one lasts even longer.
Miguel Rojas: Dodgers being exploited
MLB has cited the Dodgers on several occasions in the early stages of CBA negotiations, including to refute the union’s pitch for a “competitive integrity tax” that would penalize teams that don’t spend at least $150 million on payroll.
Several Dodgers players are aware of what has been happening behind the scenes, and Miguel Rojas was among those to express his frustration.
While it’s true that the Dodgers have made plenty of splashy signings in recent years, they also place a strong emphasis on drafting and developing players. That has led to the organization enjoying unprecedented success over the last decade.
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