Skates, Spikes, and Sidelines

With the latest news-breaking signings, the triumphant Los Angeles Dodgers have shaken up the baseball world. The Dodgers have recently made two blockbuster signings of pitchers – the Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki and the already-established left-handed relief pitcher Tanner Scott.

The Dodgers capitalized on Sasaki being under 25 (he’s currently 23), as he’s still considered to be an amateur international free agent. Because of this, he will have a minor rookie contract with a $6.5 million signing bonus, along with six years of club control. Their contract with Tanner Scott is just a cherry on top in terms of general manager masterclasses. With a 4-year $72 million contract, the team managed to spend as little as possible in their window for championships in the upcoming years. For the length of the contract, the payroll will only take a $15.5 million hit. That’s just over 20% of the agreed upon terms. In addition to this, they gave him a $20 million signing bonus, split up throughout the four years. This is because the majority of his contract is considered a deferred payment, and they included this in the record-breaking $700 million contract with Shohei Ohtani.

The MLB will likely have one of the largest and longest lockouts the sports world has seen in the 2027 season. The last CBA was agreed upon in March of 2022, and expires on December 1, 2026. The agreement included clauses spanning across mandatory off-days for players, minimum salaries in both the minor and major leagues, per diem minimums, as well as compulsory confidential mental health resources for players.

The MLBPA along with the MLB will both be negotiating for needed changes in the next agreement for the health and stability of the future of professional baseball. Three main changes must be addressed:

1. There should be a salary floor to prevent teams from not spending every year and preventing their fans from enjoying a competitive game.
2. Although very doubtful, a salary cap must be implemented. Whether it’s a firm cap, or have a luxury tax imposed, the competitive disadvantage for small-market teams has hurt the league since it was inaugurated.
3. There has to be a deferral limit for teams. $680 million in deffered payments for one contract (Shohei Ohtani) should not be allowed.

The stability of the MLB is in the hands of the next CBA in 2027. There will be important and extensive negotiations, and the baseball world will be watching closely.