MLB is facing the lockout challenge, and as the current CBA is set to end by December 2026, time is ticking. According to former Blue Jays pitcher Chris Bassitt, MLB and the players’ union are on the verge of making a ‘criminal’ mistake that could derail the sport’s momentum. His proposed solution is simple, but one the league has historically failed to execute.

“For years, we’ve fought to get growth in our game, and for years we’ve fought to have the fans love this sport and do everything we possibly can. And then for this to possibly get in the way would be insane. It would be criminal.” Bassitt responded as Foul Territory’s A. J. Pierzynski said, “Let’s start negotiating for real right now. Why? Why don’t they?”

The upcoming CBA negotiations are projected to be dominated by a few disagreements, like the salary cap. So, getting the discussions underway well ahead of the deadline could make all the difference.

Chris Bassitt believes negotiations should start sooner rather than later, as he believes that dragging things out only increases the risk of a lockout. He even compared it to how teams often wait until the last possible moment to make arbitration offers to players. And with baseball currently growing at a strong pace (+27% rise in 2025 playoff viewership), starting the negotiations now might be the best way to make sure a lockout doesn’t interrupt that momentum.

“I mean, that’s literally the thing that would piss me off,” Bassitt said when talking about the possibility of delayed negotiations behind the scenes. In his view, putting off the talks until the deadline gets close would almost guarantee trouble, and that’s why he called it “criminal.”

Pierzynski also agrees because one of the biggest sticking points in the next CBA negotiations would be the idea of a salary cap. Interestingly, Pierzynski sees this less as a direct fight between players and owners and more as an issue among the franchises themselves.

Reportedly, big-market teams like the Dodgers and Yankees invest big in players and end up paying luxury tax penalties. For instance, the Dodgers have paid $169.4 million in MLB luxury tax for the 2025 season. Small-market teams like the Pirates and Marlins receive this payment, along with the TV rights revenue share, to maintain competitive equality. However, they are mostly accused of not spending enough on the players.

Hence, as per Pierzynski, the salary cap is more of a fight between the franchises to stop the free flow of revenue.

Still, whether that actually becomes part of the next deal will ultimately depend on how MLB owners and the MLBPA manage to find common ground during the negotiations, and that’s rarely a quick or easy process. Therefore, as Bassitt stated, begin negotiations now to prevent a last-minute lockout.

Chris Bassitt is not buying the concept of the salary cap

Even though the idea of a salary cap keeps getting pushed as a solution, Chris Bassitt isn’t convinced, and his opinion matters. That’s largely because he’s part of the subcommittee for the MLBPA. So what he says often reflects how the union is thinking.

Now, Bassitt has been pretty clear about where he stands. In his view, bringing in a salary cap “doesn’t fix anything.” Reports suggest that MLB owners are likely to push hard for one when the current CBA expires in December, hoping it will slow down the massive spending and free flow of money across the league.

However, as per Bassitt, MLB still enjoys one of the best competitive equities compared to some other leagues, despite teams like the Dodgers and Mets being miles ahead in spending.

So, we are all certain that the upcoming CBA negotiations will witness some bad blood between the owners and the MLBPA regarding the salary cap. No matter whether the negotiations are set to begin now or later, tensions are inevitable. Still, starting the negotiations early would help both parties to buy out some time before the 2027 season starts.