NEW YORK (AP) — Now comes the test: Will baseball players be happy with their new collective bargaining agreement in 2026?
They clearly were unhappy with the just-expired five-year contract, which saw payrolls drop to their lowest level since 2015.
The agreement reached Thursday raises the competitive-balance tax threshold by $34 million over five years, up from a $21 million hike over the 2017-21 deal and an $11 million rise from 2011-16.
“I think that the MLBPA historically has wanted a market-based system. Over multiple negotiations that has been a primary objectives objective of theirs,” baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said after Thursday’s deal ended a 99-day lockout.