The Major League Baseball starts tomorrow with San Francisco Giants vs. New York Yankees, amid fears of a labour dispute that could put the 2027 season at risk, and even the participation of the best players in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
Reuters reports that there have been rumblings of a strike by the players, after team owners have discussed the creation of a salary cap, the MLB being the only major men's sports league in North America without one. This creates huge inequalities in teams, with Forbes reporting that Shohei Ohtani, the superstar from Los Angeles Dodgers, will earn $127 million in 2026.
Of that quantity, $125 million will come from off-field income, generated outside their playing contracts, such us businesses, commercial endorsements, memorabilia, media appearances... making Ohtani the highest endorsement total ever for an active athlete after Conor McGregor in 2021.
According to Reuters, Ohtani's off-field income is more than six times the combined total of the ​next best-paid players in the MLB. The best six on that list play for either the Los Angeles Dodgers, the New York Yankees, or the NY Mets.
The increased revenues for the best baseball players have led to some team owners to discuss a salary cap, but the players have strongly opposed, raising the possibility of a strike. And if the 2027 MLB season is disrupted, those players may not be allowed to go to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.