Latest MLB Player Poll Highlights Grim Reality of Labor Negotiations

Things aren't looking great for 2027.

Major League Baseball Players Association executive director Tony Clark, right, and chief negotiator Bruce Meyer arrive for negotiations with the players union in an attempt to reach an agreement to salvage March 31 openers and a 162-game season, March 1, 2022, at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Florida. | Greg Lovett / USA TODAY NETWORK

The 2026 season is almost halfway complete, but after the World Series reaches its end, a labor war will likely begin. The collective bargaining agreement expires on December 1, and the growing expectation is that there will be a lockout following that day.

There was a lockout in 2022, but that was resolved before games were impacted. Because the owners are proposing a salary cap, that may mean that games will be missed this time around.

Sam Blum of The Athletic conducted a survey of players around the league, and out of 101 respondents, 80 players said that they think a lockout is going to happen.

"I don't think negotiations will start happening until spring because there's not a real threat. Like, missing spring games is a lot less dramatic than missing regular-season games. But the longer you wait, obviously, you have to expedite spring and then through the season,” one player said. “I do think there will be games missed.”

Players concerned for 2027

Oct 27, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred before game three of the 2025 MLB World Series between the Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Ultimately, this proves just how far apart both sides are in labor negotiations. The last time there was a work stoppage over a possible salary cap, the season was cut short and the postseason was cancelled.

This happened in 1994 when the players went on strike. Hall of Famer Tom Glavine expressed concern that this potential work stoppage could parallel the strike. There is a lot at stake this time around. A salary cap wasn't as big of an issue during the last lockout, but it's a sticky subject, and a lot of players are very concerned that the 2027 will be cut short, if it happens at all.

At this point, it appears that a lockout may just be a formality, which would not be good for the game after several years of improvement following the last lockout. But it ultimately shows just how bad things have gotten between the two sides, and that the fears of another lockout are legitimate.

There is a lot at stake, and there is concern all around.

“Once they start preparing you for a couple years, saying 'Save your money, 2027 is probably going to be delayed, at least,’ we're pretty aware, we're expecting a lockout,” another player said in the poll.

It will be interesting to see where things stand at the end of the 2026 season, but it's very clear that players are worried about what will come next.