Major League Baseball proposes delaying salary cap implementation to 2028 in talks with players

NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball proposed delaying the start of a salary cap until 2028, saying teams have too many commitments for next season that wouldn't allow them to reduce spending quickly enough.

A day after the start of free agent negotiations for the 2026-27 offseason, owners on Tuesday proposed to players that the sport adopt a hard cap of $258.2 million for 2028 and a mandatory floor of $180.2 million, using luxury tax payrolls with average annual values.

“We recognize that clubs will need a full offseason to prepare to operate within the cap and floor system," MLB spokesman Glen Caplin said in a statement. “This proposal would allow a smoother transition into the cap and floor system without delaying key player benefits, including earlier free agency, a $1 million minimum salary, a 30% increase to the pre-arbitration bonus pool and transactional reform that will reduce roster churn.”

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