2 anonymous MLB players hint at lengthy lockout amid salary cap dilemma

Two anonymous MLB players offered sobering outlooks on how long a potential 2027 MLB lockout could disrupt the season as the league and MLBPA remain divided over a proposed salary cap.

The current collective bargaining agreement expires at 11:59 p.m. ET on December 1. MLB has proposed a $245.3 million salary cap and $171.2 million floor for 2027, while the union has rejected negotiating within a salary-cap framework.

In an article posted to ESPN.com, the network asked current MLB players how many games they thought they might miss during the 2027 season. Two National League starting pitchers offered especially notable responses.

“NL starting pitcher entering arbitration: As many as it takes, but the lockout’s not up to us. I would say yes. It’s out of our control, though.”

Another National League starting pitcher offered an even more specific prediction about how long the potential work stoppage could last.

“NL starting pitcher making seven figures this season: I don’t think we’re playing until June.”

Those responses do not establish how long a lockout would last, but they show how some players view the possibility of an extended labor dispute. ESPN’s survey also produced a wide range of expectations. One National League rookie making the league minimum viewed canceled games as unlikely, while other players said games would likely be played.

Several respondents, however, indicated they would accept missed games rather than agree to a salary cap.

MLB’s proposal also includes a 50-50 revenue split and related free-agent restrictions. The MLBPA has opposed a strict hard cap, leaving one of the central issues in negotiations unresolved.

The 2027 regular season is scheduled to begin March 25, 2027. A lockout lasting until June, as one anonymous pitcher predicted, would wipe out roughly the first two months of the scheduled season. The 2021-22 lockout lasted 99 days, delayed Opening Day, and still resulted in a full 162-game schedule through calendar adjustments.

No official MLB lockout has begun, and MLB and the MLBPA remain divided over the league’s salary-cap proposal ahead of the December 1 CBA deadline.

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