After telling reporters in February that MLB needed to be “vigilant” about the lack of a salary cap, Rob Manfred is taking an evasive stance on the issue.
The MLB commissioner wants to see how the next two seasons play out before determining whether a salary cap should be implemented in the next collective bargaining agreement (CBA).
“We hear a lot about this from fans, especially in smaller markets,” Manfred said on FS1.The herd” Wednesday. “But the reality is that we are two years from the end of the (negotiating) agreement. We are simply not in a position to talk or make decisions about what awaits us in the next round of negotiations. I think a lot of water will overflow the dam before we need to fix this problem. »
MLB’s lack of a salary cap has been a point of contention for decades, but it has re-emerged as one of the most debated topics in sports following the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ success. The Dodgers won the World Series in 2024 after signing Shohei Ohtani to a 10-year, $700 million contract, with their $353 million luxury tax payroll being the highest in baseball, according to Cot’s Baseball Contracts. Los Angeles’ payroll has only increased since its title after the team made several high-profile signings this offseason to bring its luxury tax payroll for the 2025 season to $401 million.
When he met with reporters after an owners’ meeting in February, Manfred said the salary cap was an issue the league needed to “pay attention to” going forward. However, he didn’t blame the Dodgers, saying at the time, “Everything they’ve done is within our rules.”
The Dodgers aren’t the only team whose payroll has skyrocketed in recent years. THE New York MetsThe luxury tax payroll, which was already one of the highest in the league during their participation in the NLCS last season, also increased to $326.1 million after the signing. Juan Soto to a record deal of $765 million over 15 years.
THE Philadelphia Phillies ($308.5 million), New York Yankees ($306.6 million), San Diego Padres ($268.3 million), Toronto Blue Jays ($268.2 million) and Boston Red Sox ($240.2 million) represent the five largest payrolls in baseball, with large markets mostly making up the top 10 highest payrolls for the 2025 season.
While big-spending teams had the most success last season, Manfred said he heard the most from small-market fans about the salary cap issue. Although a few teams from these markets made the playoffs last season, including Cleveland Goalies, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals And Baltimore Orioles — Manfred understands that it’s healthier for the sport if teams in large and small markets are able to make deep playoff runs.
Rob Manfred Talks Ohtani, Baseball Salary Cap Chances, Yankees-Dodgers and Golden At-Bat
“You mentioned Detroit and Cleveland. They did a great job last year. I think it’s important for our smaller markets to do something more than just make the playoffs,” Manfred said. “There’s a difference between getting to the first round and going further in the playoffs. So the fact that they got there doesn’t really solve the problem in my mind.”
Even though the salary cap argument remains up in the air, Manfred has implemented some rule changes in recent years. The field clock was introduced in 2023 to speed up play, with teams banned in the same season to open the field of play.
Manfred mentioned a potentially even more drastic change earlier this offseason, saying on “The Varsity” podcast that the Golden rule of batting circulated between owners. This rule would allow teams to choose any player in their lineup to hit out of order once per game.
Although this comment seems unpopular among the baseball community, Manfred assured fans that the Golden At-Bat rule is far from seeing the light of day, if it ever does.
“If there is ever going to be a serious conversation about the Golden At-Bat rule, it will have to start with experimentation at the minor league level,” Manfred said. “Probably years of experimentation, because it’s one of those rules, even though it has some positive aspects, this rule would cause complications in terms of how the game plays out.
“There are a lot of complications with this. I think the best thing to say about the Golden At-Bat rule is that it is far, if ever, from being addressed.”
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