Veteran sports agent Leigh Steinberg has warned that a lockout would be "remarkably self-destructive" for Major League Baseball as the current collective bargaining agreement between MLB and the players' union nears its December expiry. He described the present standoff as the "murkiest" environment the sport has faced since the 1994 strike, with owners reportedly determined to push for a salary cap while players remain firmly opposed, raising the prospect of a work stoppage disrupting the game just as it heads into its postseason.

Steinberg linked owners' renewed appetite for a cap to big-money free-agent deals by the Los Angeles Dodgers, notably Kyle Tucker's four-year, $260 million contract and Edwin Díaz's three-year, $69 million deal, both of which have underperformed this season. He noted that the 1994-95 strike caused league revenues to fall by 40%, taking years and a controversial home run race to recover, and argued a repeat would be baffling given baseball's current financial health, with strong income from television, attendance, merchandising and gambling. Both sides have exchanged proposals but talks have so far shown little real progress, with the previous lockout in 2021-22 lasting 99 days before a new deal was ratified in March 2022.