The MLB and its players are heading towards a lockout on Dec. 1 if a new CBA isn’t agreed upon. On Thursday, ESPN’s Jesse Rogers reported that the MLB has introduced a salary cap as part of their proposal.
BREAKING: As expected, MLB proposed a hard salary cap to union officials today as part of the next CBA, sources tell ESPN. The salary floor for teams beginning in 2027 would be set at $171.2 million which includes player benefits with the ceiling at $245.3 million.
TOP NEWS
— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) May 28, 2026
The league’s new proposal includes a salary cap of $245.3 million with a salary floor of $171.2 million, which would begin in 2027 if agreed upon.
There has never been a salary cap in the MLB, making it the only North American professional sports league in which that is the case.
On Wednesday, the MLB Players Association revealed their first proposal for negotiations. This includes a minimum salary of $1.5 million per player.
While the salary factors may be a major hinge in future negotiations, there are dozens of other areas that will need to be discussed as well.
Revenue-sharing changes were a part of the MLBPA’s proposal, which would guarantee small market teams a certain amount of revenue by default.
Other topics like draft lottery changes, roster minimums and arbitration eligibility will also take some time to agree upon.
All of these things will be involved in upcoming discussions, but it’s expected to take a long time for an agreement to actually be met.
In fact, much of these public leaks are made by both sides in an effort to sway the media as well as the fans. As the Dec. 1 deadline approaches, it will morph into truly gritty negotiations.
James Parker is a sports writer for Ball Exclusives, follow him on X @TheJames_Parker
