With the MLB's collective bargaining agreement set to expire on December 1, there's a chance the league could be heading for a lockout.
The Major League Baseball Players Association's first proposal for a new CBA included a “competitive-integrity tax” for teams that don’t spend $150 million. The union's main goal is to increase revenue sharing for local media without having a salary cap.
Last week, MLB owners proposed a $245.3 million salary cap for the 2027 season. As for the salary floor, that would be set at $171.2 million.
“Our salary cap and floor proposal levels the playing field while sharing baseball revenue with the players 50/50 as we grow the game together,” MLB spokesman Glen Caplin said, via The Associated Press. “Further, by sharing media revenue equally as part of our proposal, we can address another top fan concern of local TV blackouts.”
Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images.
All-Star slugger Juan Soto, who agreed to a 15-year, $765 million contract with the Mets in December 2024, was asked to share his thoughts on the MLB adopting a salary cap.
Unsurprisingly, Soto is not a fan of this idea.
"Baseball is doing great," Soto told The Athletic's Will Sammon. "We’ve been increasing every year. It’s been great for baseball. We are in the best moment in baseball right now in all kinds of ways. Why should we have a cap?"
Mets left-hander David Peterson, who happens to be the team's union representative, also isn't fond of a salary cap.
"It works in basketball in that way because they don’t have as many guys, so you have a lot less guys for the pot to go around, and that’s a league where one or two people on the team pretty much sell the team," Peterson said. "That’s a lot harder to do in baseball."
A salary cap would impact several MLB teams.
If the MLB were to adopt a $245.3 million salary cap, Soto would account for more than 20% of the Mets’ cap space.
The Mets would be one of eight teams that would have to shed payroll, according to MLB insider Bob Nightengale. The Astros, Blue Jays, Braves, Dodgers, Phillies, Red Sox and Yankees would also have to shed salary.
We'll see if the MLBPA can successfully negotiate a CBA that doesn't involve a salary cap.
