A TLANTA – As MLB commissioner Rob Manfred looks to improve competitive balance in the league, Tony Clark, the executive director of the MLB Players Association, made his position on the possibility of a salary cap abundantly clear on Tuesday. "This is institutionalized collusion," Clark said. "That's what a salary cap is."

Major League Baseball faces a potential lockout in December 2026. Players and management have long clashed over salary cap proposals, a format that union head Tony Clark criticizes as harmful to competition and player salary guarantees.

Calling it "institutionalized collusion," MLBPA executive director Tony Clark said he remains opposed to a salary cap after the CBA expires following the 2026 season.