Last week, it was first reported by The Bandwagon that things got heated during commissioner Rob Manfred’s meeting with the Phillies as part of Manfred’s efforts to meet with the players of every team at least once a year. Now, thanks to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, we have more details about exactly what occurred in that meeting.
Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper stood nose to nose with MLB commissioner Rob Manfred during a meeting last week and told him to “get the f--- out of our clubhouse” if he wanted
ADto talk about a salary cap, sources told ESPN. News free and unlocked: https://t.co/DukJC3i8T5
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 28, 2025
Bryce Harper reportedly got into a confrontation with Manfred that resulted in him telling the commissioner to “get the f- out of our clubhouse” if he was going to continue talking about a possible salary cap in MLB and mentioned that players “are not afraid to lose 162 games” over the issue.
Passan reports that Nick Castellanos diffused the situation before it became untenable, but Castellanos went on record to Passan with some strong words for Manfred himself.
“Rob seems to be in a pretty desperate place on how important it is to get this salary cap because he’s floating the word ‘lockout’ two years in advance of our collective bargaining agreement [expiration],” Castellanos said. “That’s nothing to throw around. That’s the same thing as me saying in a marriage, ‘I think divorce is a possibility. It’s probably going to happen.’ You don’t just say those things.”
It’s not the first time that Harper has been outspoken about labor issues that are facing MLB with the impending expiration of the current collective bargaining agreement between MLB and the MLB Player’s Association.
The idea of a salary cap figures to be a key part of the league’s proposal as we approach negotiations for a new CBA following the current one’s expiration after next season. As Passan explains in the full piece that is free to read, the idea is nothing new and has been one that’s been floated by the owners before.
But just as it was in the past, the players are not going to allow a cap’s implementation without a fight. The idea is immensely unpopular among players who argue that it gives teams an excuse to not spend money on improving their on-field product and rather it allows owners to maximize their profits. The negotiations over the idea are setting up to be contentious, and it appears that Harper could be one of the biggest names to lead the charge against it.
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