Union chief Bruce Meyer called the owners' salary cap proposal a "nuclear bomb" as the Brewers and Rays opened the first World Series in 35 years between two bottom-half-payroll teams.
Baseball's labor fight crashed the party before Game 1 even started. Ahead of the Brewers-Rays World Series opener at American Family Field, union head Bruce Meyer and Commissioner Rob Manfred held separate media sessions near the first base dugout, and neither side sounded interested in compromise.
Meyer called the owners' summer salary cap proposal a "nuclear bomb," making clear players want nothing to do with the economic system Manfred insists the sport needs to thrive. The current labor contract expires Dec. 1, and management is expected to lock out the players almost immediately after. That could put spring training, set to begin Feb. 9, and opening day, scheduled for March 24, in jeopardy.
The dispute adds an odd backdrop to a series pairing two small-payroll clubs, the first such World Series matchup in 35 years. Some owners have used the moment to push their case publicly for a hard cap and floor, while the union has pushed back hard on the characterization that a cap is necessary for competitive balance.
For now, the games go on in Milwaukee, but the sport's labor calendar is already ticking toward a December lockout.