Major League Baseball has put a 2028 target on its proposed salary cap and floor, signaling a delayed rollout that would give clubs a full offseason to adjust to the new system.
In a post shared by MLB, the league said it is “proposing to phase in the salary cap and floor in 2028” because free agency is already underway and teams would need time to operate under the new rules. The projected 2028 payroll thresholds would leave 12 clubs needing to raise payroll.
Evan Drellich of The Athletic posted the full memo from MLB, which also includes a push to raise the minimum salary to $1 million and to let players reach free agency after five years instead of six.
The latest proposal builds on earlier cap and floor figures, which had been set at $254 million and $171 million. The new numbers are $258 million at the top and $180 million at the bottom.
The Phillies would be above that $258 million cap if it were in place right now. They have roughly $218 million committed to 10 players, plus arbitration-eligible names such as Bryson Stott, Brandon Marsh, and Jhoan Duran. Zack Wheeler’s contract comes off the books in 2028, which would cut the payroll by $42 million and, under this setup, get them back under the cap.
Using 2026 payroll figures, the Dodgers, Mets, Yankees, Blue Jays, and Braves would also have been over the proposed $258 million ceiling.
At the other end of the scale, 15 teams would have needed to add payroll to clear the $180 million floor: the Mariners, Orioles, Royals, Brewers, Reds, Rockies, Twins, Pirates, White Sox, Nationals, A’s, Cardinals, Rays, Marlins, and Guardians.
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