I’m not an expert in labor strategy but it seems like surely the whole cap nonsense is just public posturing since they know MLBPA will never* agree to it or even stay at the table if it’s being discussed. *if the league offered say, payroll cap at whatever 110% of the highest current payroll is, plus a mandatory payroll floor of say 80% of the highest current payroll then it would be stupid not to engage with that. but I’m sure the owners would never agree to a floor and also are wanting to cap individual salaries even more than total team payrolls at the top end anyway
If they went to nba style rules would Soto’s deal just become the supermax default? So many details that seem unlikely to be worked out even if the union was actually willing to consider it, which they absolutely should not and will not