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Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred Butted Heads during a question-and-response meeting between the commissioner and the team, according to several reports.
Manfred was in Philadelphia to meet with Phillies and Boston Red Sox players. The meeting with Phillies lasted more than an hour. He talked to Phillies about the media landscape and worked together to grow baseball, the Associated Press reported.
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Philadelphia Phillies’ Bryce Harper responds after hitting a home drive against Boston Red Sox Pitcher Lucas Giolito during the first place of a baseball match on Wednesday, July 23, 2025 in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
At one point, Harper Manfred told, if he was there to talk about the salary, he could “get f — out” of the clubhouse.
Manfred was not in the clubhouse to specifically talk about a potential salary ceiling, but the question of the sport’s economy pulled Ire from Harper, ESPN reported. He is also reported to have said that the players “are not afraid of losing 162 matches” if MLB should suggest a cap.
Manfred allegedly said he would not leave. Eventually, Phillie’s Outfielder Nick Castellanos tried to spread the situation and said he had more questions. Harper and Manfred allegedly shook before the commissioner left, but Phillie’s first Baseman refused to answer phone calls from him the next day.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred speaks during the Baseball Hall of Fame Awards presentation in Cooperstown, Ny, Saturday 26 July 2025. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
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“It was pretty intense, certainly passionate,” Castellanos told ESPN. “Both of them. The commissioner who gave it back to Bryce and Bryce who gave it back to the commissioner. It’s harp. He’s been doing this since he was 15 years old. It’s just another day. I wasn’t surprised.”
Both Manfred and Harper refused to comment further, according to ESPN.
Baseball’s collective negotiation agreement is set to expire on December 1, 2026, and some players have been concerned about a possible push of owners for a wage state.
Philadelphia Phillie’s first Baseman Bryce Harper (3) throws a ball during the fifth round of a baseball match against New York Yankees, Saturday July 26, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Manfred and other owners have mentioned payroll for payroll as one of the biggest problems of the sport, while MLB is also working to tackle a decrease in revenue from regional sports networks. MLB has never had a pay ceiling.
