Rob Manfred opens up on heated clubhouse confrontation with Bryce Harper
The MLB commissioner spoke with reporters Friday after announcing the 2027 All-Star Game is headed to Wrigley Field and discussed the heated verbal confrontation with Harper last week, first reported by The Post's Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman.
'You know, I don't talk about those player meetings,' Manfred said in Chicago. 'Let me say this: I think more has been made out of this than needs to be made out of it. Bryce expressed his views, at the end of the meeting, we shook hands, and went our separate ways. Not all that significant.'
Rob Manfred speaking in Chicago on Friday.
Getty Images
Harper told Manfred to leave the Phillies clubhouse if he was there to discuss the possibility of a salary cap in the next collective bargaining agreement (CBA), with ESPN reporting the first baseman told the commissioner he should 'get the f–k out' if that was the case.
The visit was part of Manfred's annual tour of MLB teams and he was only about five minutes into seeing the Phillies when Harper strongly interjected himself.
A salary cap has long been a contentious issue, with MLB being the only major sport without some form of one, and appears to be so again with the league's CBA set to expire after next season.
The Phillies are among MLB's highest spending teams, fourth in the league at $289 million, only trailing the Dodgers, Mets and Yankees.
Bryce Harper was not a fan of Rob Manfred's recent appearance in the Phillies' locker room.
Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
But there are also teams like the Marlins, who have a payroll of just $66 million.
MLB has yet to publicly state what it wants at the bargaining table.
But The Post reported the commissioner's office would like some form of a salary cap and there is the expectation of a lockout that could jeopardize a large portion of the 2027 season.
Until then, Harper will be mostly focused on keeping the Phillies on top of the NL East as they battle with the Mets in his attempt to win his first World Series.
Philadelphia enters Saturday a half-game ahead of the Mets after the latter lost their fourth straight game Friday night, this one a 4-3 home setback in 10 innings to the Giants.
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