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12/04 17:33 CST MLB players union gathers to prepare for potentially
contentious labor negotiations in 2026
MLB players union gathers to prepare for potentially contentious labor
negotiations in 2026
By DAVID BRANDT
AP Baseball Writer
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) --- Roughly a month after the Los Angeles Dodgers
finished a scintillating seven-game World Series triumph over the Toronto Blue
Jays, the Major League Baseball Players' Association gathered in Arizona this
week to discuss the future of the game and look ahead to a possible lockout
next December.
Japanese stars headed by Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto have sparked
record international interest, in-game attendance was up in 2025 for the third
straight season, and a set of rule changes that began in 2023 has produced a
faster-paced game that's been widely lauded.
But the big-spending nature of the $500 million Dodgers --- who were led by
high-priced stars like Ohtani, Yamamoto, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman ---
highlighted baseball's payroll disparity as the MLBPA prepares for a
potentially contentious round of labor negotiations leading to the expiration
of the collective bargaining agreement next Dec. 1.
Union head Tony Clark said formal bargaining will likely begin in the spring,
consistent with previous negotiations.
"As an organization, you start preparing for the next round of bargaining as
soon as the ink is dry on the previous one," Clark said Thursday. "You're
constantly assessing the system, you're assessing how it is that teams and
players are responding to the system.
"A year away, you're really drilling down on what that looks like."
The eight-person executive subcommittee consists of 2025 Cy Young Award winners
Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal, along with veterans Chris Bassitt, Jake
Cronenworth, Pete Fairbanks, Cedric Mullins, Marcus Semien and Brent Suter.
There are also 30 player reps --- one for each team.
"We have an outstanding group of player leaders," Clark said. "We are better
and stronger as an organization when players engage one another and are
educated on the issues. We have that. It's something we're grateful for and
something historically our organization has always had."
Clark said the MLBPA's main focus continues to be centered on a few large
issues heading into bargaining. One is finding more ways to encourage all 30
teams to spend on the free-agent market to make teams as competitive as
possible.
While the Dodgers have spent roughly $890 million over the past two years
building back-to-back World Series champions, the Athletics have committed than
$150 million over the same period. MLB is the only major U.S.-based
professional sports league without a salary cap.
The players' association is bracing to resist a renewed push for a cap. Demand
for a cap from owners is what led to a 7 1/2-month strike in 1994-95 and the
first cancellation of the World Series in 90 years.
Thirty years later, scars from that experience still remain. Clark made his MLB
debut with the Detroit Tigers in 1995.
"Knowing that there are teams who have the wherewithal to compete, that choose
not to and how that affects the industry," Clark said. "In an industry where
not all 30 teams are committed to that, what does that mean? Are there things
that we can do to address those concerns? There are."
The other major issue is that the MLBPA would like to see more ways for younger
players to be paid in a way that's more consistent with their on-field value.
Most players are eligible for salary arbitration after three years of MLB
service time and can be free agents after six years.
The union made some gains in compensating younger players in the last round of
bargaining. The minimum salary jumped to $700,000 in 2022 and will be $780,000
next year. And a $50 million annual pool was established for
pre-arbitration-eligible players.
Clark has no update on OneTeam Partners probe Clark said he did not have any new information to offer about an ongoing federal investigation into OneTeam Partners, a licensing company the union founded with the NFL Players Association. The company has grown in recent years, working with other unions that represent players in the WNBA, men's and women's soccer, and college sports. "We continue to cooperate fully," Clark said. "We don't know the timing, we don't know when it may wrap. But as they ask questions and are interested in information, we answer the questions and provide them information. That's not going to change." ___ AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum contributed to this report. ___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb |
