The Super Bowl is history. Punxsutawney Phil has graced us with six more weeks of winter. Income tax preparations have us all grumbling a bit. Hopefully, Valentine’s Day will put a bit of levity into the February proceedings.
Ah, but look at the bright side. Major League Baseball players are reporting to Spring Training camps this week, with the first games set to begin on February 20. Always a harbinger of spring, lovers of the game may want to take a long look and savor the sight because trouble is brewing. The current contract between MLB and the Players’ Union is set to expire on December 1, and talks of a lockout or strike prior to the 2027 season indicate some ugly times are upcoming.
At a time when baseball revenues are at an all-time high, it should be inconceivable that billionaire owners and millionaire players can’t get together and iron out their differences before they completely turn off their loyal fan base, who, in reality, make the sport possible. But baseball has been there before and seems headed in the same direction again.
At the crux of the problem is, of course, money. In a sport that doesn’t have a salary cap, the owners want one, and the players don’t. Unless both sides are being led by idiots, some type of agreement will eventually be reached, but a lot of strong words and threats will be thrown back and forth before that happens.
The building ‘greenback crises’ reached a fever pitch with the recent Los Angeles Dodgers signing of free-agent outfielder Kyle Tucker to a four-year, $240 million contract. Despite the signing of Tucker being completely within the rules, much of the emotional response from the industry could be explained as sticker shock.
From the owners’ and fans’ point of view, the rich keep getting richer, the poorer are unable to swim in the same pool, and the competitive balance of the game is becoming unhinged. The game is being played in a free-market environment, and the players are entitled to go for the gusto and sign with the highest bidder.
The Dodgers, who have won the past two World Series and have a 2026 payroll equaling $429 million, have become baseball’s villain as viewed by the other 29 teams. The money-rich Mets are second at $305 million, while the once evil empire, the New York Yankees, are looking up at both of them. Six MLB teams (White Sox, Brewers, A’s, Rays, Marlins, and Guardians) have current 2026 payrolls under $100 million, with the Pirates just over the mark at $100,160 million.
Dodger blue is really Dodger ‘green’ to the free agent players that flock there. Heading into Spring Training, eight Dodgers players are signed to contracts exceeding $100 million. The list includes: Shohei Ohtani 10 years, $700 million; Mookie Betts 12 years, $365 million; Yoshinobo Yamamoto 12 years, $325 million; Kyle Tucker 4 years, $240 million; Blake Snell 5 years, $182 million; Freddie Freeman 6 years, $162 million; Will Sith 10 years, $140 million; and Tyler Glasnow 5 years, $136 million.
Before the advent of free agency in 1974 (when Catfish Hunter left the Oakland Athletics to join the New York Yankees), baseball was an owners’ game. Teams had control of players for the extent of their careers and individually established what players would be paid. It wasn’t until 1979 that Nolan Ryan became the first player to earn a $100,000 salary.
As the old Virginia Slims slogan once said, “You’ve come a long way, baby.” The escalating players’ salaries have been accompanied by continued labor unrest.
Since 1972, baseball has been interrupted eight times by labor issues.
• 1972 players’ strike – main issue was the players’ pension fund. No games were missed.
• 1976 owners’ lockout -main issue was the reserve clause. No games were missed.
• 1980 players’ strike – main issue was free agency. Games were missed, and the season began on May 23.
• 1981 players’ strike – main issues were free agency with compensation to the owners. The strike lasted from June 11 to August 10. When play resumed, the season was divided into first and second-half champions.
• 1985 players’ strike – main issue was the pension fund. It was a two-day strike (August 6 & 7)
• 1990 owners’ lockout – free agency and arbitration were the sticking points. There was no Spring Training held.
• 1994 players’ strike – the 1994 season ended on August 4, with games never resumed and no postseason held. Games were not played again until April 25, 1995. The strike bittered fans who turned away from the game in droves.
• 2021 owners’ lockout – main issues were arbitration rules and players’ service time.
So, the scoreboard reads players strike 5, owners’ lockout 3; with the likelihood the owners will make it 5-4 come December. Whatever the outcome, both sides should heed the definition of insanity – doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Baseball fans have long stated, “wait until next year.” They should all enjoy the 2026 season. No one knows what waits ahead.
