Why MN Twins Fans Should Want MLB Salary Cap/Floor
With the 2026 Major League Baseball season now 1/3 complete, the 27-30 Minnesota Twins find themselves trying to stay afloat in the American League Central division.
That’s easier said than done for the Twins, even in one of the worst divisions in baseball. It’s tough to compete when you lose your best pitcher on the very first day of full-squad spring practices, fresh off of a historic trade deadline where you dealt your superstar shortstop and entire bullpen.
But really, the Twins’ biggest problem is an ownership group that’s been cutting costs since the end of the 2023 season, which happens to be the last time they made the playoffs and the first time they advanced beyond the first round in two decades.
Minnesota Twins fans want an MLB salary cap/floor
As of today, the Minnesota Twins’ projected payroll is $114 million, 23rd in Major League Baseball, according to Spotrac. Meanwhile, teams like the Dodgers ($356M), Yankees ($326M) and Phillies ($313M) are all spending nearly triple that number.
How can a small market team compete in a world like that? They really can’t. And that brings us to the ongoing Collective Bargaining discussions that started getting serious this week between the MLB and MLBPA.
The league submitted a proposal that would implement a salary cap ($245 million) and floor ($171 million) for the first time in its history. If installed right now, the Twins would have to spend over $65 million (Spotrac) just to get compliant.
MLB has reportedly proposed a salary cap model to the MLBPA that would come with a $245.3M ceiling, & a $171.2M floor.
— Spotrac (@spotrac) May 28, 2026
2026 Payrolls Above the Proposed Ceiling
NYM: +$88M
LAD: +$55M
NYY: +$46M
TOR: +$36M
PHI: +$36M
ATL: +$21M
2026 Payrolls Below the Proposed Floor
MIA: -$92M…
Related: Scratched MN Twins Starter Lands on Injured List
Now, there are going to be a ton of arguments over how the MLBPA is not going to bend to a salary cap, but I wouldn’t be so sure. Not only would a salary cap/floor be beneficial to owners and fans, but it would be good for the majority of players too.
MLBPA in trouble…?
Who is hurt most if the MLB has a salary cap? The 1% of players (Juan Soto, Shohei Ohtani and Kyle Tuckers of the world) who make $40-$70 million per year. That’s right, Shohei Ohtani and Kyler tucker combined for a higher annual salary ($130 million) than the entire Minnesota Twins roster, and it’s not close.
Those guys would hate a salary cap. But 90% of Major League Baseball players would make more money and have more financial security under the league’s proposal than they do right now.
This is fascinating….
— Dan Viens 🎙(Seahawks Forever Podcast) (@SeahawksForever) May 28, 2026
If you add up the payroll spend that would be LOST due to the proposed hard cap in MLB, it comes to just over $587 million.
Add up the money that would have to be SPENT by the lower-payroll teams to reach the proposed floor and it’s $570 million.
When… pic.twitter.com/tmr8LrnjmO
How long before all those players realize that and we start to see the MLBPA change its tune? That has yet to be determined, but hopefully it happens before we start losing baseball games in 2027.
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