​PHILADELPHIA — Commissioner Rob Manfred and MLBPA interim executive director Bruce Meyer each heartily agreed Tuesday before the All-Star Game that the game of baseball is thriving, and perhaps, as good of shape as it’s been in the sport’s history.They cited the sports’ popularity in attendance, TV viewership, franchise values, and the younger demographics.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe game, in the words of both leaders, is absolutely booming.Now, where the game goes from here, well, you got the complete polar opposite viewpoints.Meyer and the players union believe that with the game prospering, there’s no reason at all to overhaul the system with a salary cap.Manfred and the owners believe that if there’s no salary cap, the game’s popularity will wane lower than a 60-year-old neighborhood pickleball competition.Manfred reminded the Baseball Writers’ Association of America that the union wanted no part of a pitch clock, either, and it has resulted in resounding success, and that it pushed back on the ABS challenge system, too.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“We got that momentum by listening to our fans and making changes that you know candidly, the MLBPA was not interested in,’’ Manfred said. “Those changes have paid off in terms of creating that momentum, and the best way to lose momentum is to stand still. We’re doing exactly the same thing that we did with the rule changes, we’re listening to our fans.”1 / 52Jordan Walker #18 of the St. Louis Cardinals competes in the finals of the 2026 Home Run Derby at Citizens Bank Park on July 13, 2026 in Philadelphia.(Emilee Chinn, Getty Images)Yes, that’s the reason Manfred that it’s imperative for the game to have a salary cap to assure that every team has a legitimate chance to win the World Series after watching the Los Angeles Dodgers, who have the game’s highest payroll, win the last two World Series and win the NL West in 12 of the past 13 seasons.“The gap is $441 million,” Manfred said. “It defies human experience to ask a fran to think that the bottom end of that gap has the same opportunity to win the top end.”And he insists that every owner agrees with him, with every team willing to share their local TV rights if there is a cap, meaning the Dodgers and their average $330 million local TV annual revenue stream would be shared with the Milwaukee Brewers and their approximate $20 million local TV share.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“I have an ownership group that is more united,’’ Manfred says, “than any group in my entire time in baseball.’’Meyer says the same about his union membership, and insists that a salary cap is designed solely to help owners make more money, will reduce the amount of player compensation, and has absolutely nothing to do with competitive balance.“The owners, many of them, want a system that not only guarantees their profits, not only increases their franchise values,’’ Meyer said, “but esse