Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred said the sport needs “large-scale change” and has begun meeting one-on-one with players to make the league’s case for reform. Speaking around the All-Star break, Manfred argued that the game must “energize the workforce” and acknowledged that low-spending clubs are a growing problem that threatens competitive balance. People familiar with ownership thinking say Manfred is preparing a push for a salary-cap system—likely coupled with a salary floor—to curb payroll disparities. The commissioner has noted that 10% of players take home 72% of all salary outlays, a figure he cites as evidence the current structure is unsustainable. The MLB Players Association remains firmly opposed. Union chief Tony Clark called a cap proposal “a step backward,” insisting that the existing luxury-tax framework and recent attendance gains show the game is healthy without hard spending limits. Tensions are mounting because the collective bargaining agreement expires on Dec. 1, 2026. Club executives increasingly expect owners to impose a lockout if no deal is reached, raising the specter of regular-season games being lost for the first time since 1995. Amid the debate, former Yankees star Alex Rodriguez offered public support for the commissioner, saying recent rule changes have “saved our game” and arguing Manfred “probably belongs in Cooperstown.” His endorsement underscores the unusual alliances forming as baseball braces for what could be its most consequential labor fight in three decades.