MESA, Ariz. — If the commissioner and owners think that player-on-player anger arising from the Astros’ cheating scandal is a sign of rank-and-file divisions ahead of the next round of labor negotiations, Kris Bryant said they should think again.
“I think they’re looking at it like a good thing, but then the commissioner makes certain remarks that irk some players,” the Cubs’ union rep said Wednesday. “You see players respond to that, and it’s like, ‘Oh, yeah, we actually are united when it comes to [management].’ ”
Commissioner Rob Manfred on Sunday called the World Series trophy just “a piece of metal” when discussing why he didn’t strip the Astros of their title over the sign-stealing cheating scandal.