MLB Lockout 'Almost Guaranteed' After 2026 Season

Players and fans should expect a work stoppage as the current CBA expires in December 2026.

Mar. 15, 2026 at 9:05am

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According to MLB Players Association interim executive director Bruce Meyer, a lockout is 'almost guaranteed' when the current collective bargaining agreement expires at 11:59 p.m. on December 1, 2026. The key issue is the owners' push for a salary cap, which the players have historically opposed. Negotiations are expected to begin after the 2026 Opening Day, leaving just eight months to reach a new deal before the current CBA runs out.

Why it matters

A lockout would threaten games in the 2027 MLB season, disrupting the sport and disappointing fans. The dispute over a salary cap reflects the ongoing tensions between team owners and players over the economics of the game.

The details

MLB Players Association interim executive director Bruce Meyer met with players from the Detroit Tigers during spring training, including two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal, and delivered the message that a lockout is 'almost guaranteed' when the current CBA expires. Meyer, who was elected as the interim head of the MLBPA in February 2026, said the league has 'pretty much already said there's going to be a lockout.' The key sticking point is the owners' push for a salary cap, which the players have historically opposed.

  • The current CBA expires at 11:59 p.m. on December 1, 2026.
  • Negotiations between MLB and the MLBPA are expected to begin after the 2026 Opening Day on March 25.

The players

Bruce Meyer

The 64-year-old interim executive director of the MLB Players Association, who was elected in February 2026 after Tony Clark's resignation. Meyer has been the MLBPA's lead negotiator as a veteran labor lawyer.

Tarik Skubal

A two-time American League Cy Young winner and soon-to-be free agent who has become a leading voice in the MLBPA as a member of the union's eight-player executive subcommittee.

Casey Mize

A Tigers right-hander who is a player representative for all 30 MLB teams on the MLBPA.

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What they’re saying

“Almost guaranteed”

— Bruce Meyer, Interim Executive Director, MLB Players Association

“The key is that our team remains focused on collective bargaining, which we are. In terms of bargaining, really nothing is going to change.”

— Bruce Meyer, Interim Executive Director, MLB Players Association

“The fundamental nature of a salary cap is bad for players on multiple levels.”

— Bruce Meyer, Interim Executive Director, MLB Players Association

“I think the union is as strong as it's ever been. Leaders come and go, but at the end of the day, it's about the solidarity of the players. Our player group is the best of the best – and it always has been. That's why we've been able to make the gains that we have.”

— Bruce Meyer, Interim Executive Director, MLB Players Association

What’s next

Negotiations between MLB and the MLBPA are expected to begin after the 2026 Opening Day on March 25, leaving just eight months to reach a new deal before the current CBA expires on December 1, 2026.

The takeaway

The looming MLB lockout highlights the ongoing tensions between team owners and players over the economics of the game, particularly the owners' push for a salary cap that the players have historically opposed. The strength of the MLBPA and its solidarity will be tested as the two sides try to reach a new agreement before the current CBA expires.