Rob Manfred addresses MLB salary cap position as Brewers, Rays vie for World Series title

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred continued the league’s push for a salary cap ahead of Game 1 of the World Series on Friday night.

Speaking to reporters before the start of the Tampa Bay Rays-Milwaukee Brewers series, Manfred reiterated his position on behalf of the owners that a salary cap is necessary despite having two small-market teams playing for a championship.

“I think it shows that we’re leaving a lot on the table in some of our smaller markets by not giving them the opportunity to compete on a regular basis,” Manfred said. “The Brewers have always been a well-run franchise. We’ve been here 40 years. Once every 40 years isn’t enough.”

Manfred added that there is “an unprecedented level of unanimity among owners” to impose a salary cap on MLB.

Although Manfred noted that Milwaukee is playing in the World Series for the first time since 1982, the Rays are making their third appearance in the Fall Classic since 2008. It’s their second American League championship victory in seven seasons.

The combined payroll of $242 million for the Brewers and Rays is the lowest for a World Series game in the last 10 seasons. This is the second time during this period that the combined payroll was less than $300 million, with 2020.

MLB presented an initial proposal in May with a salary cap that starts at $245.3 million and contains a salary floor of at least $171.2 million. Only seven teams topped $245.3 million in payroll this season, while 15 teams had less than $171.2 million in roster spending.

Among the top five teams in salary spending this season, the Los Angeles Dodgers were the only one to reach the League Championship Series. Two of them – the New York Mets and Toronto Blue Jays – didn’t even make the playoffs.

Three of the seven lowest-performing teams in salary spending – the Rays, Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Guardians – all made the playoffs. The Rays and the Guardians met in the ALCS.

Milwaukee ranks 19th in salary spending and was in the NLCS last year before advancing to the World Series this year.

Manfred’s comments come amid what is expected to be a protracted labor battle between MLB and the MLB Players Association. The current collective agreement expires at 11:59 p.m. ET on December 1.

MLB’s last work stoppage was the 2021-22 lockout which lasted 99 days and pushed back Opening Day by a week, from March 31 to April 7.

There hasn’t been a work stoppage resulting in lost games since the 1994-95 players’ strike, which was also the last time owners fought for a salary cap.