Two-time MVP Bryce Harper of the Philadelphia Phillies got in the face of Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred and told him to “get the f**k out of our clubhouse” at a recent team meeting, according to a report.
Harper’s anger boiled over when Manfred began to discuss the financial health of baseball, well ahead of the Dec. 1, 2026, expiration of the collective-bargaining agreement between the league and players union, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported Monday, citing unnamed sources.
Although the subject had reportedly not been broached, Harper said if MLB were to pressure players for a salary cap, they “are not scared to lose 162 games,” according to the sources. (A team’s entire regular season is 162 games.)
“If you want to speak about that, you can get the fuck out of our clubhouse,” Harper said, per ESPN.
Manfred shot back that he was “not going to get the fuck out of here” and emphasized the importance of discussing business and the threats to it.
The two eventually shook hands.
Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos confirmed the “intense” and “passionate” confrontation, ESPN noted.
Team owners will again push for a salary cap in bargaining talks, as they have traditionally done, CBS News reported, although the MLB remains the only major sport among four in North America to not have one. The players union staunchly opposes it.
The last labor-related work stoppage to result in the cancellation of regular-season games was in the 1994-95 season.
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