“These guys are going to go for a cap no matter what it takes,” the source said. I think we all knew that owners were going to propose some sort of salary cap to players. In June, owners made this proposal to players, which would have eliminated salary arbitration, given players free agency two years earlier (but with restrictions) and institute a salary cap. It’s worth reading the New York Times article I linked in that quote, which lays out details of what MLB owners were proposing at the time. There is absolutely no question that MLB owners will lock out players when the CBA expires on Dec. 1.

Source: The Guardian January 21, 2026 18:31 UTC