Juan Soto rejects MLB’s proposed salary cap, backing players union

Mets outfielder Juan Soto, who holds the sport’s largest contract, publicly opposed Major League Baseball’s plan to impose a salary cap for the first time since 1994. Soto told The Athletic that baseball is in “the best moment” and sees no reason to limit team payrolls, echoing the stance of the MLB Players Association.

The league’s proposal would set a payroll ceiling near $245 million and a minimum around $170 million, with Soto’s own 2027 salary of $57.5 million representing about 23 % of the projected payroll space. Mets representative David Peterson also supported Soto’s view. MLB argues the cap would improve competitive balance, but the disagreement adds tension as the current collective bargaining agreement runs until Dec. 1 2026, raising the risk of a protracted labor dispute.