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Looming over the league like an ominous storm cloud right now is the impending CBA between the MLB and MLBPA which needs to be renewed before next season. The area of contention that everyone is talking about is the salary cap. League owners are in support of it in order to bring more competitive balance to the league, while the player’s union feels that a salary cap would come at the expense of players receiving fair and optimized earnings.<\/p>\n
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Offers and statements were thrown around from both sides this week. The players union have taken a hard stance on a salary cap as a non-starter and proposed a “competitive-integrity tax” instead to promote spending from the bottom<\/a> but not affect the top-end earning potential. The league did not appear interested as they countered with a salary cap offer<\/a> that would see the floor be set at $171.2 million and the ceiling at $245.3 million. Considering the MLBPA’s stance on salary caps, the fear of a strike similar to 1994 has only intensified.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n BREAKING: As expected, MLB proposed a hard salary cap to union officials today as part of the next CBA, sources tell ESPN. The salary floor for teams beginning in 2027 would be set at $171.2 million which includes player benefits with the ceiling at $245.3 million.<\/p>\n \u2014 Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) May 28, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n <\/p>\n Obviously nothing is concrete and no agreements have been made on anything yet. In all likelihood, considering the MLB was locked out and had a delayed start to the 2022 season before salary caps were really a discussion, with a contentious issue like this, it’s not egregious by any stretch to think things will get uglier between these two sides before they get better<\/p>\n <\/p>\n But what if the MLB gets what they want? What if this proposed salary cap comes into play? How would it affect the Royals?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n As a perennial smaller market team, the Royals have been more frugal than many in their history. This season, while a little more financially competitive than in years past, the Royals still only have estimated payroll for 2026 of roughly $149 million, as per FanGraphs. For those doing the math at home, the Royals would need to spend over $22 million in order to reach the floor.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Let’s say the league finally gets their way like didn’t back in 1994 and the Royals suddenly have to spend over $22 million more just to avoid the salary floor. John Sherman would have to pony up more money – which after the recent offseasons Kansas City have had, would likely be music to many Royals fans ears.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n One way they could go about doing this is obviously the traditional way and attempting to lure free agent talent to address some real areas of need. Currently the Royals feature five positions with OPS rates under the current league average mark of .706 that could stand to be immediately addressed<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Position<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/th>\n Current OPS<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/th>\n Points of League Average OPS<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n\n First Base<\/p>\n<\/td>\n .621<\/p>\n<\/td>\n -85<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Second Base<\/p>\n<\/td>\n .590<\/p>\n<\/td>\n -116<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Left Field<\/p>\n<\/td>\n .659<\/p>\n<\/td>\n -47<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Center Field<\/p>\n<\/td>\n .674<\/p>\n<\/td>\n -32<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Designated Hitter<\/p>\n<\/td>\n .526<\/p>\n<\/td>\n -180<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n <\/p>\n\n
How the Royals could spend to hit proposed $171.2 million salary floor in 2027<\/h2>\n
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