Former Blue Jay Chris Bassitt makes bold statement towards the MLB and Rob Manfred
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Victor William
Feb 19, 2026 (6:13 PM)
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Photo credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Chris Bassitt fired back at the growing salary cap rumors today to protect the future of every player on the diamond.
The veteran right-hander is not just a leader on the mound but a key voice in the MLBPA executive subcommittee.
He recently joined the Baltimore Orioles after a stellar run in Toronto that saw the Blue Jays reach the 2025 World Series.
Bassitt (Drafted Round 16, 2011 by Chicago White Sox) knows exactly how hard players have to work to reach the big leagues.
The 36-year-old made it clear this week that a salary cap is a non-starter for the union in the upcoming negotiations.
You can hear the raw conviction in the veteran’s voice as he breaks down the math behind the parity argument.
Chris Bassitt, MLBPA executive subcommittee member, on the salary cap debate and why he's against it:
“The salary cap doesn’t fix anything. If you look at every major sport with a salary cap, we have the best parity. The salary cap is not the issue. Having suppressed salaries across the league so owners make more money is not the answer.
"If I would tell you in 25 years, the Dodgers would be going to 10 World Series and winning seven of them, is that an issue? Because that’s the Patriots. The Chiefs have been to what, six or seven? The Philadelphia Eagles have been to four or five. The parity in our sport is better than any other sport.
"We will make changes to try to help the so-called bottom teams out, but a salary cap and suppressing salaries and taking from players to try to help the so-called bottom teams spend more? That’s not the answer. Because if you’re trying to make a competitive league across the board, we have proof that every single league [has] less parity than ours. So how can you sit there and say a salary cap is going to fix this when every single salary cap sport has less parity than ours? It makes no sense.
"Again, the root of the answer is not the salary cap, and the root of why owners want a salary cap is not for competitive balance.”
“The salary cap doesn’t fix anything. If you look at every major sport with a salary cap, we have the best parity. The salary cap is not the issue. Having suppressed salaries across the league so owners make more money is not the answer.
"If I would tell you in 25 years, the Dodgers would be going to 10 World Series and winning seven of them, is that an issue? Because that’s the Patriots. The Chiefs have been to what, six or seven? The Philadelphia Eagles have been to four or five. The parity in our sport is better than any other sport.
"We will make changes to try to help the so-called bottom teams out, but a salary cap and suppressing salaries and taking from players to try to help the so-called bottom teams spend more? That’s not the answer. Because if you’re trying to make a competitive league across the board, we have proof that every single league [has] less parity than ours. So how can you sit there and say a salary cap is going to fix this when every single salary cap sport has less parity than ours? It makes no sense.
"Again, the root of the answer is not the salary cap, and the root of why owners want a salary cap is not for competitive balance.”
He points to the NFL as proof that salary caps do not stop dominant dynasties from taking over for decades.
Bassitt believes the current Major League Baseball structure actually provides better competitive balance than any other major sport.
Bassitt is leading the fight for a fair future
It is a massive relief to see a veteran leader standing up for the economic health of the sport.
C Bass finished the 2025 season with 166 strikeouts and a solid 1.33 WHIP over 170.1 innings of work.
He claims that owners want a cap to protect their own profits rather than fixing the balance on the field.
With Tony Clark resigning, voices like his are becoming even more vital for the stability of the entire league.
The Blue Jays finished their incredible 2025 season with a 94-68 record and a deep postseason run.
Seeing leaders like Bassitt stand their ground gives fans hope that the 2027 season will avoid a messy lockout.
He wants to ensure that the next generation of stars can earn their true value without artificial restrictions.
The passion he brings to the negotiation table is the same energy that made him a fan favorite in Toronto.
He was 11-9 with a 3.96 ERA last year, showing he still has plenty of gas left in the tank.
Baseball thrives when the best talent is rewarded for their performance on the biggest stages.
As we look toward the 2026 season, the focus remains on keeping the game open and competitive for everyone.
Bassitt is proving that the union is ready to defend the game we all love.
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