After MLB owners offered a salary cap for the first time since 1994, NFL star Saquon Barkley recently spoke to Fox News Digital and shared his full support for the players.
Major League Baseball's league office and ownership has made a concerted effort this season to make spending money the enemy.
A concerted marketing campaign promoted during broadcasts on the league's streaming services has made it clear that payroll disparities are now unacceptable. "Level the Playing Field," the advertising says. The Los Angeles Dodgers are the enemy, they explain with a bar chart showing their payroll and luxury tax bill. Ignoring that the luxury taxes are paid back to the league and redistributed to small market teams.
This campaign is designed to increase fan support for a lockout and eventual salary cap. And it's working. Baseball social media is littered with fans complaining, taking the owners' side, ignoring results and demanding that teams be allowed to pocket more profits.
MLB'S SALARY CAP PROPOSAL WON'T FIX THE LEAGUE'S NON-EXISTENT COMPETITIVE BALANCE PROBLEMS
Starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers warms up before the MLB game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on June 03, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
The insinuation with this coordinated effort is that small market teams or lower payroll organizations, more specifically, have little chance of competing against the big market, big spending franchises. As examples, they use the New York Yankees, those evil Dodgers, then fall curiously silent when looking at the other teams in those same markets.
The New York Mets, per Sportrac, actually have the highest payroll obligations this season, in terms of dollars paid in 2026. Those Mets are 53-68, in last place in the NL East by 19.5 games, and buried 11 games back of the third wild card spot. The Los Angeles Angels play just 30 miles from Dodger Stadium, in the country's second-largest media market. They haven't reached the playoffs since 2012, and at 46-74, have literally the worst record in baseball with just over 40 games remaining in the season.
What about San Francisco? One of the country's largest media markets, a historic franchise with the Giants, and around $200 million in payroll obligations. They're 50-70, a mere 22 games out of first place in the NL West. Philadelphia, reliably one of baseball's highest big market spenders, lost Wednesday afternoon to fall out of playoff position, if the season ended today.
The Yankees are in second place. Toronto, with a top-five payroll, is effectively eliminated at 58-63. Houston, with a top-10 payroll, is 61-60, while their big market rival Texas Rangers are 60-60.
Jose Altuve #27 of the Houston Astros looks on after striking out during the fifth inning of the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Daikin Park on May 05, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images) (Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)
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"Too many fans in markets across the game have too little hope that their team has a fair chance to win," MLB says in an attempt to advance their preferred narrative.
With big market teams struggling, then, who's succeeding? Well, with again just over 40 games remaining, the two best records in baseball belong to the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays.
Milwaukee entered Wednesday at 74-46, in position to enjoy a first-round bye and home field advantage throughout the postseason. In the American League, the Rays' dominant win over the Athletics improved their record to 74-46 and extended their streak to nine wins in a row.
