Ever since Major League Baseball’s labor agreement was signed in March 2022, commissioner Rob Manfred has been trying to work on his relationship with players. “When I talk to the players, I don’t try to convince them that a salary cap system would be a good thing,” he revealed during the All-Star break. And when Manfred met with the Philadelphia Phillies, that session lasted more than an hour. That adds up, too, given that Bryce Harper and Manfred were in a tense back-and-forth during the session.

A person with direct knowledge of the conversation opened up about it to the Associated Press (AP) on Monday. However, he’d like to stay anonymous given the sensitivity of the situation. But had it been on Bryce Harper, he would’ve much rather kept the details about the meeting confidential.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan has reported that in the meeting, Bryce Harper got face-to-face with MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred.

There was a moment Harper burst out and told Manfred to “get the f— out of our clubhouse!” As unbelievable as it sounds, it’s true. Passan was informed about this sensitive information by someone present at the meeting.

When this clubhouse clash spilled into the public eye, Bryce Harper called out the mole. “I don’t need it out there. It has nothing to do with media or anybody else. It’s what we can do as players and owners. And everybody else to come together to try to make this game great. I’ve always been very vocal, just not in a way that people can see.”

He continued further, “I’ve always been outspoken within these limits of the clubhouse doors and anywhere else. But I don’t think, necessarily, anything should be relayed to the media about what happens or what I’m talking about or how everything is going.” As per Harper, all the comments, explicit or anything, discussed during the meeting about the salary cap were meant to stay private.

However, as it seems, not everyone feels the same way in the Phillies clubhouse. And now, after this heated clash, the Phillies were warned of Manfred’s powers.

Harper-Manfred’s heated exchange prompted Mark DeRosa to issue a warning to the Phillies

The former major leaguer Mark DeRosa has been working with Rob Manfred after his retirement. And his words after the meeting might’ve come as a threat to the players. DeRosa’s warning had a harsh tone — “The commissioner’s a powerful guy; don’t f— around with him.”

It somehow deeply upset some players when DeRosa warned the Phillies that Manfred, who oversees Major League Baseball on and off the field, has the power to clap back if people decide not to go along with him. A player also brought up the possibility of MLB using drug testing programs as a way to get back at the players. But then, it turns out that DeRosa from MLB Network said it was just a joke.

“Shame on me for thinking I had a better relationship with some of the players in there than I guess I do,” DeRosa shared. He emphasized that his comment about Manfred’s power was purely meant to be a joke among 10-12 players. “Literally making a joke,” he added.

Notably, Harper and DeRosa had played together in 2012.

During the meeting, Harper reportedly came out a bit too strongly against the idea of a salary cap. When Manfred left, DeRosa decided to stay for a bit longer.

By the end, it was certain that Harper was one of the players who had been most affected by a salary cap.

As many believe that MLB will soon propose one, some think it’ll be fruitful for the low-earning players. Whereas MLBPA believes it’s just meant to hurt all the players. But while the cap remains a discussion for the future, right now, besides Harper and Manfred, there is a new controversy building up between Harper and DeRosa.

Thoughts?