Baseball fans are preparing for the worst, as this coming winter’s labor negotiations loom large. Players and owners are diametrically opposed to the implementation of a salary cap, and if the two sides can’t bridge the gap, some or all of the 2027 season could be scrapped. Commissioner Rob Manfred is the mouthpiece for ownership and ruffled some feathers last year when he got into with Bryce Harper over the coming labor fight. Manfred extended an olive branch on Saturday when he selected Harper as this year’s All-Star game legend.
Bryce Harper is one of the most successful players of his era, having racked up two MVP Awards and now nine All-Star appearances in what will go down as a Hall of Fame career. The 33-year-old is uniquely positioned as one of the faces of the game to stick up for the interests of players, and he did just that last July.
Rob Manfred made the rounds to all 30 MLB clubs last season, calling meetings with each team to address issues within the sport, namely labor negotiations. When Manfred made his way to Philadelphia, Harper was none too pleased with his pushing of a salary cap, getting in Manfred’s face and telling him, “If you want to speak about that, you can get the f--- out of our clubhouse.” The explosive scene ultimately ended with both men shaking hands, but their relationship remained cold as Harper refused to answer phone calls from Manfred the following day.
With both owners and players preparing for war this winter, it seemed unlikely that Harper and Manfred would smooth over their differences. The animus between the two sides runs incredibly deep and these two large personalities are at the forefront of their respective movements.
Have Bryce Harper and Rob Manfred put their beef to bed once and for all?
However, Manfred made the first step towards repairing the relationship on Saturday when he selected Harper to the National League’s roster for next week’s All-Star game. As commissioner, Manfred is given the ability to unilaterally invite players to the All-Star game as “legend” selections.
This honor is usually reserved for icons of the game who are in the twilight of their careers and would not otherwise be nominated. Manfred has previously selected future Hall of Famers Clayton Kershaw, Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera using this method, but all three were at or near the end of their playing days and had seen their production drop off considerably.
Harper is in a different position, as the 15-year veteran is still going strong with an elite .892 OPS in 90 games this year. The former first-overall draft pick found himself in the midst of a three-horse race to represent the National league at first base, alongside Matt Olson and Freddie Freeman.
Harper lost out on the starting first base gig during the fan voting process, and could have ended up being snubbed from the festivities entirely with Freeman and Olson already securing spots on the roster. However, Manfred stepped in to ensure that didn’t happen, and Harper commented that he was, “definitely grateful for that.”
Ultimately, the coming labor war will not be decided based on the way Bryce Harper and Rob Manfred feel about each other personally. Still, it’s good to see two well-known figures from opposing sides clearing the air ahead of what could be some of the darkest days the sport has ever seen.
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