MLB owners, MLBPA reportedly set to begin labor negotiations soon, with salary cap at center of talks
The current MLB collective-bargaining agreement will expire in December.
With the 2026 MLB season only a month old, both the players and owners are already looking to the future. The league’s collective-bargaining agreement (CBA) expires at the end of the season, and both sides are expected to engage in multiple contentious rounds of negotiation ahead of next season. In an effort to get ahead of that, the owners and MLBPA will reportedly start meeting in the coming weeks , per The Athletic.
At the center of those talks is a salary cap, which the owners are eager to implement. Baseball has a long history of labor wars, but this rendition could be the wildest yet. The owners, an extraordinarily wealthy group, are planning to push for a salary cap, which players, a number of them quite rich themselves, have long considered a non-starter.
The current CBA won’t expire until 11:59 p. m. ET on Dec.
1. While starting negotiations in May or June could result in a deal ahead of that date, it seems unlikely, per The Athletic. If a deal isn’t reached by that date and time, the owners will likely lock out the players.