NiamhMcGarry

Baseball… America’s favorite pastime since the 19th century, but especially now, as Major League Baseball (MLB) has reached a new record high of viewers since 2017. However, there are other issues on the rise: the argument for a salary cap. 

So, why is professional baseball receiving so much more attention this year? Several factors contribute to this, but a major one is the growing popularity of the Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani. 

Major League Baseball has had no shortage of stars over the years, but Ohtani particularly stands out. He can pitch and hit at the highest level, a notable skill of both him and Baseball Hall of Famer, Babe Ruth. It is a skill that is rarely seen in Major League Baseball.  Along with this, Ohtani brought a new wave of viewership from Japan, significantly increasing the attention MLB has received.

On Nov. 2, the Los Angeles Dodgers won the World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays, becoming back-to-back champions. With the Dodgers winning the World Series two years in a row, “it’s going to put a lot of pressure on MLB to say [they] have got to have a salary cap,” said Scott Sanders, an MLB pitcher in the ‘90s. 

This year, the Dodgers had a total payroll of $321 million, and the Blue Jays had a total of $240 million, according to USA Today. However, these large budgets raise ethical and fairness concerns because MLB is the only major U.S. sport without a salary cap.

According to EBSCO, salary caps are financial regulations set by leagues to limit the total amount teams can spend on player salaries. Their purpose is to promote competitive balance and financial stability. For example, the National Football League (NFL) has a salary cap of $279 million per team. Since the MLB does not have one, the team salaries range from roughly $67 million to $323 million. 

“It’s insane how much [the Dodgers] get paid. No one necessarily needs that much money,” said senior Rosie Flores, a big Dodgers fan. Shohei Ohtani has a contract of $700 million over 10 years with the Dodgers, but this isn’t even the largest contract the MLB has seen. In 2024, Juan Soto signed with the New York Mets, receiving $765 million over 15 years—breaking down to about $51 million per year—making it the largest sports contract in total value and length. 

The lack of a salary cap in the MLB also raises concerns about the fairness of smaller-market teams. “There are so many great players, but they weren’t selected by a giant corporation team, and so they aren’t getting the same recognition or pay,” Flores said. 

The Miami Marlins have a team salary of $67 million, placing them among the lowest team payrolls in the MLB. Their highest-paid player, Sandy Alcantara, signed a contract for $56 million for five years. This is no small amount of money, but in contrast to other teams’ highest-paid players, it is one of the minor contracts. 

The pay disparity also brings up concerns with fans as it “feels like they don’t have a chance in the world,” according to CNBC. Along with that, it takes away fairness because “there are only about five other teams that can compete with [the Dodgers], so [the other teams] are just playing to play. [They’re] not going to have a chance against them,” Sanders said. 

However, whether or not a salary cap is implemented at the end of the collective bargaining agreement on Dec. 6, 2026, there will still be disparity between teams. The “big free agents are still going to want to play for big teams. The top-tier [teams] are still going to be top-tier, and the bottom-tier is still going to be bottom-tier,” Sanders said. 

Regardless of the salary caps other major U.S. sports have, “most professional athletes… make an absurd amount of money that is unethical,” Flores said.