Phillies' Bryce Harper gives nightmare answer for baseball fans about potential lockout originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
It's something that may not yet be on casual baseball fans' radars. But a lockout could be coming.
The 2026 MLB season is set to go off without a hitch. But after the season, the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the league and the players expires. And negotiations are expected to be intense.
So intense, in fact, that the 2027 season is in jeopardy.
Philadelphia Phillies superstar Bryce Harper was asked on local radio Tuesday if he thought the 2027 season would start on time.
"No," he answered succinctly.
Obviously, that's not the answer any fan of the game wants to hear.
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A lockout could set the sport back, particularly if it's a lengthy one. There are so many modern competitions for attention, and if baseball just isn't there, then it'll fall out of the minds of plenty of people.
The most contentious issue expected to be in play in CBA battles is a salary cap. It's something the owners clearly want. And it's something that the players have always held as a total non-starter.
If both sides dig their feet in, someone will eventually have to give in, or a compromise will have to be found.
More than anything, this feels like a note to fans to make sure they really enjoy this 162-game season. Next year could wind up looking very different.
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