Tommy Pham has been told no twice, once in free agency, once at the deadline. Both times, the CBA was the reason. It is a frustrating situation for the 38-year-old outfielder. Teams reject him during winter free agency to save money. But later, those same teams try to trade for him at the midseason deadline when they need help.

“I even talked to, you know, front offices. I asked them to be completely honest with me… I’ve been at the negotiation table twice now with the owners. A lot of this is a byproduct of the CBA. And there’s nothing really I can do until that gets fixed,” said Tommy Pham, speaking about how the CBA has impacted veteran players on Foul Territory.

With negotiations just beginning and the current CBA set to expire on December 1, 2026, Pham sees veteran players already losing ground. He noted that players had much more power during the labor talks in 2016 and 2021. Now, he feels that power is gone. Older veterans are paying the highest price.

According to Pham, teams have changed the way they build rosters in recent years. Instead of paying proven veterans, clubs want younger players. Young players are cheap and remain under team control for years. Pham said some teams told him directly that they want to play younger guys to rebuild.

However, those same teams later tried to trade for him. This actually proves that teams need that veteran talent in the clubhouse; it’s just that they do not want to pay for it in free agency.

This shift makes it very hard for older players to find jobs. Teams are willing to let young prospects play poorly because they cost so little. For example, the Chicago White Sox recently called up top prospect Braden Montgomery. He is struggling with a low .217 batting average, but the team is keeping him in the lineup to help him learn. A young player struggling is seen as part of the process. But a veteran struggling is seen as a waste of money.

Pham believes owners have learned they can reduce payroll this way without ever needing an official salary cap, making it harder for older free agents to find a spot on the team. Few players understand that reality better than Pham himself.

Since 2022, Pham hasn’t been an integral part of any lineup. He signed a minor league deal with the Mets before the 2026 season and later joined the Orioles on another minor league contract. Even though Baltimore offered a potential path back to the majors, Pham eventually opted out rather than continue waiting for an opportunity that seemed farther away with each passing day.

That is why Pham views the salary cap debate as especially important. If veterans are already struggling to find jobs now, adding more spending limits will make things even worse. Teams will use even more cheap, young talent.

As negotiations move closer, Pham’s concern is not just what players may lose at the bargaining table, but what veteran players have already lost in the marketplace.

MLBPA’s plan for free agency could help the players against MLB

The biggest fight in baseball’s upcoming labor talks could center around free agency.

Right now, players must complete six full years of service before reaching the open market. For many players, especially those who debut later, that means reaching free agency after turning 30. By then, teams are often less willing to hand out long-term contracts. The current system gives clubs years of control while limiting players’ prime and holding them back from getting massive contracts.

That is why the MLB Players Association wants changes to free agency rules.

The union has proposed allowing players aged 30 or older to become free agents after five seasons. Under the proposal, teams could still keep those players through qualifying offers. If the player declines that offer, he would become eligible for salary arbitration. The goal is to give players a better chance to earn market value when they are in their prime.

The proposal is also connected to larger concerns about player earnings. The union wants expanded arbitration rights and a minimum salary increase from $780,000 to $1.5 million.

Those changes would help players earn more money before reaching free agency. They could also remove the qualifying offer system.

In the past, this system has destroyed free-agent markets for good players. For example, Dallas Keuchel rejected a qualifying offer from the Astros in 2018. Other teams refused to sign him because they would have to give up a draft pick as a penalty. As a result of this, Keuchel remained unsigned through spring training and signed with the Braves all the way in 2019.

As labor talks move forward, the question is whether the MLB owners accept player freedom or continue defending the current structure where they can control a player’s future.