Paul Skenes Refuses to Play if MLB Implements Salary Cap

Paul Skenes will sit out if MLB implements a salary cap, he recently stated, as the league potentially heads toward a lockout.

What's at Stake?

The MLB players have leverage, as owners need players on the field and ticket sales to generate revenue. Paul Skenes knows he's one of the players who needs to be outspoken about this issue.

Why it Matters for Paul Skenes

Skenes believes a salary cap doesn't help anybody, and he's willing to miss games to ensure he doesn't have to deal with it. He's thinking about every player in every demographic, not just himself, according to Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The players can just say they're not going to play if the owners want to go cheap.

What Comes Next?

There's a line that the players are not going to cross, and if they have to miss games, they'll miss games, Skenes said. The owners can try to do whatever they want, but at the end of the day, they need players like Skenes on the field. Skenes is certainly going to break the pitching market one day, and he wants to ensure that future players don't have to deal with a salary cap. He's considering the impact on trainers, coaches, and players who aren't even in pro ball yet. The next Collective Bargaining Agreement will affect everybody's livelihoods, Skenes noted. And the players are willing to take a stand to protect their interests. So the situation will be interesting to watch, as the MLB potentially heads toward a lockout. The Pittsburgh Pirates ace is willing to miss games to ensure that he and future players don't have to deal with a salary cap.