Matt Johnson
Major League Baseball is bracing for a work stoppage in 2027, largely centered around the dispute over an MLB salary cap. With the two sides at extreme odds and growing frustration among fans, it appears President Donald Trump has chosen a side in the matter.
Meeting with reporters aboard Air Force one last week, as shared by the White House, President Trump came out in favor of an MLB salary cap and believes it should’ve been done years ago.
Related: President Donald Trump Could Get Involved in MLB Lockout
“If you don’t have a salary cap you don’t have a sport, because they can’t help themselves. They should have done it a long time ago.”
President Donald Trump on an MLB Salary Cap
Trump called it “shocking” that MLB didn’t implement a salary cap years ago. The comments came just days after reports first emerged that at least one MLB owner suggested that President Trump could eventually get involved in the matter if there’s an extended lockout in 2027.
It’s not exactly a surprise that Trump would side with MLB owners. MLB also has its own long history of getting involved in politics, with OpenSecrets.org disclosing that MLB’s political action committee spent $1.24 million in lobbying efforts in both 2023 and ’24 with $600,000 in contributions.
Related: Why an MLB Salary Cap Could Work, With a Catch
The MLB Players Association has been adamant that it won’t sign off on any new collective bargaining agreement that includes a salary cap. Following MLB’s first proposed CBA, the union noted that it would result in a pay cut for players with an even higher share of baseball’s increasing revenue going to owners at a time when the league’s popularity is improving.
An MLB lockout feels inevitable at this point, with both sides preparing for a prolonged work stoppage when the current CBA expires in December. There is also a real chance that it wipes out regular-season games in 2027, shortening the season and hurting baseball at a time when numbers are trending up.
Related: MLB Owners Have Staggering War Chest for a Lockout
