Major League Baseball is facing a potential lockout scenario at the end of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, which is set to expire on Dec. 1 this year. The Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) also recently went through its own turmoil, causing a scare ahead of the anticipated battle with MLB owners. Players will be voicing their opinions all season long, and it's already started with stars like Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper.
On Harper's first day in camp last weekend, the face of the franchise covered a few different topics in his initial questions from the media, but the continuing theme ahead of any potential labor issues is whether the Los Angeles Dodgers' spending will have a direct impact leading to a lockout.
MLB lockout looms as stars like Phillies' Bryce Harper continue to push back against a salary cap
Harper was asked about his thoughts on where the Phillies stack up against the Dodgers, who once again spent big money in free agency this winter. Harper doubles down on the idea that the Dodgers aren't ruining baseball.
“I love what the Dodgers do, obviously,” Harper stated. "They pay the money, they spend the money. They're a great team. They run their team like a business and they run it the right way. They understand where they need to put their money into but also … their draft and their development is unbelievable …
"It bothers me when everbody talks about the Dodgers spending money. No, they draft, they develop, they do it the right way. They understand what it takes to be the best team in baseball … each team in baseball has the opportunity to do the same thing … and they should."
Bryce Harper: “I love what the Dodgers do, obviously.”
— OnPattison (@OnPattison) February 15, 2026
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Harper, along with multiple players around MLB, has stressed that they believe that it's good for ownership groups like the Dodgers to spend money on their players and compensate players at respectable valuations. The idea of a salary cap or floor could impede players' ability to earn and limit potential leverage in free agency.
Harper also believes that the Dodgers' spending doesn't impede his club from competing. Harper took it upon himself to address this same concern last season when MLB commissioner Rob Manfred visited the Phillies' clubhouse. After Manfred heavily suggested a reintroduction of a salary cap, Harper unexpectedly gave quite an impassioned speech against it.
Losing the 2027 season would be devastating for Phillies' veteran core
The topic of a salary cap has been permeating for years now, and the possibility of it could really screw the current Phillies core. It's no secret that the Phillies are a veteran-heavy franchise right now, and they're only getting older.
An entire season gone in 2027 could prove an even bigger blow to the possibility of the older stars bouncing back to their previous form. Harper, Kyle Schwarber, and Trea Turner will all be 33 this season, while J.T. Realmuto will turn 35. Ace Zack Wheeler will be 36, and 2027 would be his final year before his planned retirement.
The MLBPA expects not to miss a beat after appointing new interim executive director Bruce Meyer (subscription required) on Wednesday. Spring training games have yet to happen, which gives them time to prepare for what's to come after the season. A lockout is still expected at this point, but perhaps it could be more like the 99-day work stoppage in 2021.
The biggest question remains. With the MLBPA and players like Harper drawing a line in the sand, can they really come to a resolution before any real damage is done? Phillies fans know the Phillies organization isn't ready for that kind of layoff.