The Los Angeles Dodgers’ spending habits the past two years has drawn plenty of criticism from various corners of the baseball industry. The frustration has not been limited to opposing fanbases, but is present among the other owners around the league as well.
There is a very real sense that this resentment can spill over into negotiations when the new collective bargaining agreement is discussed after the 2026 season. There is a growing belief that the owners’ will push hard for an MLB salary cap going forward, which would most likely trigger a lockout as the standoff between players and ownership plays out.
Meanwhile, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has pushed back against the notion that the Dodgers are ruining baseball with the free agent frenzy they have been on.
Manfred has also begun advocating against the belief that an MLB salary cap is the only viable solution for the owners’ concerns, and supported looking for alternative avenues instead, according to Evan Drellich of the Athletic:
Manfred indicated he does not think a cap is the only sufficient remedy his owners could pursue during collective bargaining in 2026, however.
“I am a huge believer in the idea that there are always multiple solutions to a particular set of concerns,” he said.
Manfred’s handling of important moments in the league’s history has often not put him in the best light. His decisions with the Houston Astros cheating scandal, fiasco surrounding the Athletics moving out of Oakland, and a lockout during the 2021-2022 season are the great failures of Manfred’s time as commissioner.
However, he has also had great successes as of late. The rules changes he oversaw, which initially had more than its fair share of critics, have been an unquestionable triumph. It has directly led to a growth in attendance for two consecutive years, the first time that’s been done since 2011 and 2012.
Manfred has already announced that his current term will be his last as MLB commissioner, which expires in 2029. The collective bargaining negotiations in 2026 may end up being the last big event of his tenure.
A lockout would not only halt the progress he has help make in the past few years, it would also be the second of his tenure as commissioner after MLB went 27 years without one prior to 2021.
Rob Manfred discusses MLB study into pitcher injuries
A rise in arm injuries to pitchers has been another major issue that Manfred’s regime has been tasked with addressing. A recent study conducted by MLB in December was tasked with finding the root of the problem.
Manfred agreed with the findings of the study, that chasing greater velocity and spin rates is a significant cause in the increase in injuries to pitchers.
Identifying the problem was the first step in the process of fixing this issue in MLB.
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