MLB proposes first salary cap since 1994 strike
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- MLB owners propose a hard salary cap and floor for the first time since 1994, requiring teams to keep payrolls between $171.2 million and $245.3 million beginning in 2027.
- Glen Caplin says fans overwhelmingly support the cap and floor because the current $446 million spending gap is unfair, and the plan would split league revenue 50/50 with players while sharing growth.
- Bruce Meyer counters that owners are only trying to control player salaries to boost profits and franchise values, not to protect the game, and pledges continued review of the proposal.
- Centralized media fund would pool local media revenues and distribute them equally among all 30 teams, with the cap and floor tied to future revenue growth.
- Owners may lock out players if a new CBA isn’t reached before Dec 1, halting trades, free agency, and any player‑team contact.
Why it matters: Teams at the high end must trim payrolls while low‑spending clubs must raise salaries, shifting $446 million of spending equity; players face capped earnings but gain a guaranteed floor, and owners protect profit margins.
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