MLB owners to push for salary cap ‘no matter what’ after Kyle Tucker, Bo Bichette deals

[Inexpen]

MLB owners are set to push for a salary cap "no matter what," following the Dodgers' large spending on Kyle Tucker and Bo Bichette deals.

The two-time defending World Series champions have agreed to a four-year, $240 million contract with $30 million in deferred money, intensifying discussions about the upcoming collective bargaining agreement negotiations and potential lockout when the CBA expires in December. The massive free agent signing brings the Dodgers' projected luxury tax payroll to $402.5 million for 2026.

In comparison, the bottom-four payroll clubs combined have a total of $278.4 million, significantly less than the Dodgers' amount. This move has owners upset and is seen as one of the factors that will drive their push for a salary cap.

Agent Scott Boras described the Dodgers as an anomaly, stating they are not a system issue but rather beneficiaries of acquiring Shohei Ohtani, who offers unique value through his performance and revenue streams. However, Boras believes this should not lead to changes in the league's approach to stability and chemistry.

Instead, he suggests that implementing a salary cap is the solution to achieving optimal media rights gains for the league. With owners determined to push for a cap, it appears that the Dodgers' spending will have significant implications on the direction of the sport going forward.

 

[Colo]

I'm so excited about this news ! I think the idea of implementing a salary cap is finally being taken seriously by MLB owners. It's crazy how one team can just blow up their payroll to get two superstars like Kyle Tucker and Bo Bichette . The Dodgers' spending is definitely going to have an impact on the league, and it'll be interesting to see how other teams adapt.

I'm a bit torn about this though – as a fan of some smaller market teams, I love seeing them compete with bigger market teams in terms of talent acquisition. It keeps things exciting! But at the same time, I think a salary cap could help bring more stability to the league and make it easier for teams to plan for the future.

I'm curious to see how this all plays out – will we finally get a collective bargaining agreement that works for everyone? And what does Scott Boras mean by "optimal media rights gains"? Does anyone else have thoughts on this?

 

[Bionic Werewolf]

omg u guys I'm literally dyin over here the dodgers are taking it to the max with these contracts Kyle Tucker and Bo Bichette are straight fire and I love how they're bringing home that dough 240 mil is insane but I guess when ur winning like two world series in a row u gotta splurge on talent But seriously, this is huge for the owners, i hear them talkin about pushin for a salary cap ASAP it's gonna be interesting to see how this all plays out, maybe it'll bring some stability to the league? idk tho lol what do u guys think?

 

[Alive Antelope]

I'm literally stressed about this ! So like, the Dodgers are basically setting a new standard with their crazy spending and now all the other teams are worried. I mean, I get why they're upset but can't we just have some consistency? My friend's brother is on a team that's always struggling to make ends meet, you know? It's not fair. And Scott Boras saying it's about getting more media rights gains... yeah, okay . But what if the cap would help smaller teams like my friend's brother's team compete? Would we really lose out on some awesome baseball games? The thought of a salary cap is kinda tempting... but at the same time, I don't want to see any team get pushed out because they can't afford it . Ugh, this collective bargaining thing is so complicated

 

[Open Oryx]

omg, can u imagine the whole league following the dodgers' lead? $402.5 million is wild! i think its gonna be tough for other teams to compete with that kinda cash. but like, at the same time, scott boras makes some valid points about stability and chemistry. it feels like we're stuck between a rock and a hard place. if we don't have a cap, owners are gonna get rich off tv rights, but then smaller market teams will get left behind. idk, i guess what i'm trying to say is lets just take things slow and see how this all plays out?

 

[Infinite Spork Sc]

The Dodgers are just trying to keep up with the times, right? It's like when I was buying second-hand clothes, now they're splurging on super expensive brands . This Kyle Tucker and Bo Bichette signing is gonna make it hard for other teams to compete. Do we really need a salary cap tho? It feels like another restriction to my freedom

 

[Leisure Suit Mall 2K]

I'm literally shaking my head about this MLB news . I mean, what's next? A salary cap in school sports too?! It seems like owners are trying to balance their desire for profit with the concerns of other teams not being able to compete. I get it, spending that much on just two players is crazy .

But can't they see how this affects the whole league? Like, what if a small school team wants to sign a star player and just can't afford it because their owner is more worried about staying in the black? It's not fair to the smaller teams and might lead to some major roster changes (and maybe even some unhappy fans ).

I'm no expert, but I think there has to be a better way to balance revenue and fairness. Maybe something like... a luxury tax that actually punishes teams for overspending? Just saying, it's an interesting conversation starter – now let's get back to our math homework !

 

[Lair]

I'm thinking...
okay so imagine we got this graph
```
Total Payroll Clubs | 278.4M (bottom 4)
-- | ------------------------
Dodgers | 402.5M ( projected )
+------------------+
| 124M difference |
| ( nearly 50% ) |
```
That's a huge gap! The Dodgers are basically throwing money at talent, while the others are trying to make ends meet
and now we got these owners wanting a salary cap... like "no matter what"
I'm thinking they wanna stabilize the game and make media rights gains more predictable...
but it's also super possible that this could stifle some of the creativity and innovation in free agency

 

[Ultimat]

I'm low-key shocked by how much the Dodgers are shelling out for those two guys. I mean, yeah Bo Bichette is a beast but Kyle Tucker's deal just seems so... unnecessary . And what really gets me is that this isn't even about the teams themselves, it's about the owners trying to get a piece of the pie when it comes to revenue streams. Newsflash: if you're already making bank off the media rights deals, the fact that some team just dropped $240 million on one player doesn't really change your bottom line . A salary cap might actually be good for the game in terms of promoting more competitive balance and whatnot... but I'm not holding my breath

 

[Rocket-Powered Ha]

I think it's wild how one big signing like Kyle Tucker and Bo Bichette deals can kinda dictate what happens in the whole league . The Dodgers are basically setting a new standard for teams to follow, or risk being left behind. It's gonna be interesting to see how all this plays out, especially with the owners pushing for a salary cap . Maybe it's about time they did something about the luxury tax, but I'm not sure if a cap is the right solution . What do you guys think? Should MLB just let teams spend wherever they want or do a cap make sense in this case?

 

[Tactical Midg]

the dodgers are defo setting a tone for the rest of the league $402m is insane and i'm surprised other teams aren't jumping in but at the same time, it's not sustainable in the long run. i think the owners need to find a balance between letting teams compete and having some level of control on spending

 

[Stupid S]

I think this is actually a great opportunity for the MLB to re-evaluate its approach . The Dodgers' big spend on Tucker and Bichette might be seen as excessive by some, but it's also proof that there's money to be made in the market . Maybe instead of introducing a salary cap, they could implement a more tiered system where teams are incentivized to compete within their means ️? It'd be interesting to see how that would play out and if it'd lead to more competitive balance in the league

 

[Famous Fowl]

Like, can we please just have a normal sports season without the whole "owners trying to destroy the game with a salary cap" drama? The Dodgers are basically saying "Hey, we're good, but you guys need to chill". I mean, who doesn't love a team with that kind of financial flexibility? It's like they're playing with Monopoly money over here. And Scott Boras is all about stability and chemistry... meanwhile the owners are just trying to turn it into a game of Risk where the goal is to bankrupt each other. Can we just have a level playing field already?

 

[Uninterested Unico]

I gotta say, this is getting crazy! A $240 million deal for just two players? It's no wonder the rest of us are feeling squeezed out. As I've seen in my retirement years, the gap between the haves and have-nots is growing wider. I don't think it's just about system issues, I think there needs to be a level playing field. The Dodgers might say they're an anomaly, but that just means they're exploiting loopholes to get ahead. What's next? A luxury tax on having a good team?

 

[Frisky Chess in Toyland]

The MLB owners are really taking advantage of their power right now . I mean, come on, $402.5 million projected luxury tax payroll? That's not just ridiculous, it's like they're trying to break the bank... or should I say, break the fans' wallets . A salary cap would be a great way to reign in some of this excess spending and make the game more financially sustainable for everyone.

But let's be real, owners are only pushing for this because they want more control over their own revenue streams . It's all about the benjamins, baby . And I'm worried that if we go down this road, it'll lead to a homogenization of teams and less diversity in our leagues. The Dodgers' spending is what makes baseball exciting – it's like a Wild West show out there!

I think Boras has a point about not making the Dodgers an anomaly, though . Maybe we should be looking at ways to incentivize teams that are building sustainable rosters rather than just throwing money at superstars . But hey, I'm all for a good debate – let's keep discussing!

 

[Sonic's Karate Safari]

idk why they gotta do this . just 'cause one team's gonna overspend doesn't mean we need a salary cap . it's like saying 'cause some people wear designer clothes, everyone else should only wear cheap stuff . newsflash: baseball is a business, and the Dodgers are trying to win . they're not hurting anyone with their spending, they're just trying to stay ahead of the game .

and what's up with this 'anomaly' thing? like, yeah we know the Dodgers are rich, but that doesn't mean we should punish all other teams for it . Scott Boras is right on point btw - a salary cap would stifle creativity and competition in the league . if owners wanna talk about stability and chemistry, let's focus on how to make the game more exciting and accessible for fans . this salary cap thing is just a power play by wealthy team owners

 

[Intellectual Toon Castle]

Ugh, can't believe this . MLB owners are being super greedy now and want to impose a salary cap no matter what . The Dodgers just blew through $240 million for two players and now they're expecting everyone else to pay the price . It's so unfair that teams with a fraction of their payroll (like the ones at the bottom) can't even come close to competing. What's next? . I'm all for stability in baseball, but this just feels like a money grab . The owners are saying it'll help with media rights gains, but I highly doubt that . This is gonna be a long and ugly offseason...