MLB Proposes Delaying Salary Cap to 2028; Players Union Rejects Plan

MLB offers a one-year delay

Major League Baseball proposed on Tuesday to postpone introducing a salary cap and floor until 2028, according to ESPN reporting cited by RG. The league made the offer during a bargaining session with the MLB Players Association, less than a month before the current collective bargaining agreement is scheduled to expire.

Under the proposal, MLB projects a 2028 salary cap of $258.2 million and a floor of $180.2 million. The figures would be based on an even split of baseball revenue between owners and players. A club could spend as little as 90% of the floor in a single season if it met the required spending level over multiple years.

Union rejects the proposal

The MLBPA quickly dismissed the offer, maintaining its opposition to a hard cap and floor. “Coming off another incredible season of baseball, MLB owners continue to propose blowing up the current system and replacing it with one designed to line their pockets and increase their franchise values,” the union said. It added that players “stand ready to negotiate in good faith.”

The union’s rejection means the proposal is not an agreement. MLB’s earlier offer would have introduced the system in 2027, with a $245.3 million cap and a $171.2 million floor.

Clubs seek more preparation time

MLB said clubs need a full offseason to prepare for a cap system, particularly because free agency was already underway when the proposal was made. Spokesman Glen Caplin said shifting implementation to 2028 would allow “a smoother transition into the cap-and-floor system without delaying key player benefits.”

Those benefits remain contingent on union acceptance of a cap. The proposal includes free agency after five years of service for players age 30 and older and a $1 million minimum salary for players with at least two years of service, with a $900,000 minimum for others.

CBA expiration raises lockout concerns

The current agreement is scheduled to expire at 11:59 p.m. ET on Dec. 1. The reporting said owners are widely expected to lock out players at that point, suspending player transactions until a new agreement is reached.

The previous MLB lockout began in December 2021 and lasted 99 days before a deal was reached in March 2022. The union’s rejection leaves the proposed 2028 cap and floor unresolved as bargaining continues.