Baltimore Orioles right-hander and MLBPA executive subcommittee member Chris Bassitt isn't a fan of MLB's first collective bargaining agreement proposal, which includes a $245.3-million firm salary cap.
"I thought (the MLB owners) offer was going to be a lot better than what it was," Bassitt said on the "JD Bunkis Podcast" on Friday. "I thought they were going to try to really persuade, at least a portion of our player group, to want this idea (of a salary cap).
"The truth of it and the reality of our situation right now is that there are deficiencies in the system, and I think the very first proposal, I truly think you can take them and throw them in the trash."
The league hasn't pushed for a salary cap since 1994, which prompted a historic work stoppage that forced the cancellation of the World Series for the first time in 90 years.
This time around, MLB wants to create more competitive balance by closing the gap between the clubs with the highest and lowest payrolls. The proposed $245.3-million cap would come with a $171.2-million floor for roster spending. Thursday's counterproposal marks the league's first response to the MLBPA's opening offer on Wednesday, which prioritized increasing the minimum salary, eliminating the qualifying offer in free agency, and introducing a new "competitive integrity tax" to incentivize spending.
"I don't ever think you're going to get a real close proposal the very first time," Bassitt said. "I just don't like that, because why are we starting so far apart already?"
Based on MLB's first proposal, the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, the New York Mets, the New York Yankees, the Toronto Blue Jays, the Philadelphia Phillies, the Boston Red Sox, the San Diego Padres, and the Atlanta Braves would all have to cut payroll.
Meanwhile, the Miami Marlins, Cleveland Guardians, Tampa Bay Rays, Chicago White Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, Washington Nationals, Pittsburgh Pirates, Minnesota Twins, Milwaukee Brewers, Colorado Rockies, Cincinnati Reds, and Athletics would need to increase payroll to meet the minimum requirement.
The league and union are expected to exchange several proposals in the coming months as negotiations heat up before the current CBA expires Dec. 1.
