MLB NEWS

MLB PROPOSES LIMITING MOST FREE AGENT CONTRACTS TO 5 YEARS AND 15% OF A TEAM’S SALARY CAP

Major League Baseball proposed limiting most free agent contracts to five years and 15% of a team’s salary cap and to eliminate deferred compensation, fleshing out details of a salary cap plan likely to spark a confrontation with the players’ association.

During a bargaining session Thursday at the union’s office, MLB said it would accept the union’s proposal granting free agency a year early for players who have reached age 30 if the union accepted the league’s salary cap system. MLB also proposed boosting the minimum salary from $780,000 to $1 million for those with two years of big league service.

MLB also proposed increasing the pre-arbitration bonus pool from $50 million to $65 million next year and $75 million by 2032, the sixth season of MLB’s proposed seven-year deal.

“These misleading offers are designed to look like ‘improvements’ but are of little or no value, given they are expressly conditioned on agreement to the league’s cap system which eliminates the free market, and ensures gains for one player only come at the expense of another,” union head Bruce Meyer said in a statement. “While MLB claims to be acting in the interest of fans, their proposals thus far are entirely consistent with owners’ long-held goals: suppressing player salaries and maximizing club profits.”

MLB also said it would agree to eliminate the qualifying offer for free agents that since its inception in 2012 has restricted the market for some players.

Bargaining started May 13 for a contract to replace the five-year deal that expires Dec. 1, and owners proposed a salary cap for the first time since the union fought off the system during a 7 1/2-month strike in 1994-95. MLB is expected to impose a lockout in December, halting free agent signings and trades.

“Owners’ attempts to pit players against players are nothing new,” Meyer said. “But they’ve failed in the past and will fail again now, because PA members remain unified.”

After the prior agreement expired in December 2021, intensive bargaining did not start until late February as the threat approached of losing regular-season games — along with revenue and salary. The sides reached an agreement on March 10, the 99th day of the lockout, preserving the 162-game schedule.

In the league’s cornerstone proposal, made last month, team spending would be capped next year at $245.3 million, using figures for luxury tax payrolls that include $20.1 million for benefits and the pre-arbitration bonus pool. It also would establish a payroll floor of $171.2 million, forcing several teams to spend more. The two-time World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, baseball’s biggest spenders, had a $415.2 million payroll on opening day this year — around $170 million over the proposed cap.

“The biggest issue baseball fans want solved to strengthen the game is fixing the payroll disparity that leaves too many fans without hope of their team competing for a World Series title,” MLB spokesman Glen Caplin said in a statement. “Every other major U.S. sport has tackled this problem, and every year more small market teams in those leagues have a chance to win. The salary cap and floor proposal levels the playing field.”

As part of the plan, MLB would establish a “cornerstone player” similar to the NBA’s Bird rule, which would allow a team to re-sign a player at 16% of the cap. A free agent switching clubs would be limited to a $36.8 million salary next year and a re-signing player to $39.2 million.

Salaries for free agents in additional seasons of a multiyear contract would be limited to 5% increases, as would salaries for younger players in multiyear deals that cover potential free-agent seasons.

Contracts would be capped by service time: at $500 million and 12 years for those yet to make major league debuts, $461 million and 11 seasons for those with 0-1 years of service, $421 million and 10 years for 1-2, $382 million and nine seasons for 2-3, $343 million and eight years for 3-4, $304 million and seven years for 4-5, and $265 million and six years for free-agent eligible players.

Banning deferred compensation would eliminate a business practice used most prominently by the Dodgers, who owe just under $1.1 billion to 10 players from 2028-47. In addition, MLB would restrict bonus provisions in player contracts and mandate a standard award bonus package.

MLB said it would accept the union’s proposal to drop free-agent eligibility to five seasons of service from six for those turning 30 by the Nov. 1 of the offseason. MLB said 354 players on big league rosters as of Thursday would reach free agency a year earlier. MLB would start the change in the 2027-28 offseason.

As part of the minimum salary proposal, MLB said players with less than two years of service would have a $900,000 minimum and if earning a full year of service would get an additional $100,000 from the pre-arbitration bonus pool.

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CHICAGO CUBS ACQUIRE LEFT-HANDER DAVID PETERSON IN A TRADE WITH THE NEW YORK METS

NEW YORK (AP) — The Chicago Cubs have patched a hole in their depleted rotation by acquiring struggling left-hander David Peterson in a trade with the New York Mets.

The deal was announced before Thursday’s series finale between the teams at Citi Field.

The Cubs placed Ben Brown and Edward Cabrera on the 15-day injured list on Wednesday, adding to their injury woes in their rotation. Brown has a neck strain, and Cabrera is sidelined with a left hamstring strain.

Jameson Taillon, Cade Horton and Justin Steele also are on the IL. Matthew Boyd is set to come off the injured list and start in Brown’s spot on Thursday.

New York received minor league slugger infielder Cole Mathis in the trade. The 22-year-old Mathis, a second-round pick in the 2024 amateur draft, is batting .272 with 10 homers and 39 RBIs in 39 games over two stops this year.

The last-place Mets had dropped five in a row going into Thursday’s game.

The 30-year-old Peterson is 3-6 with a 6.09 ERA in eight starts and eight relief appearances this year. He is eligible for free agency after this season.

In a corresponding move, the Cubs designated right-hander Yosver Zulueta for assignment.

Peterson was selected by New York in the first round of the 2017 draft out of the University of Oregon. He made his major league debut in 2020, when he went 6-2 with a 3.44 ERA in nine starts and one relief appearance.

He was terrific for much of last year, making the NL All-Star team and throwing his first career shutout while going 8-5 with a 3.18 ERA in his first 24 starts. But he had a 10.36 ERA over his last six starts, and the rough finish carried over into this year.

He has a 10.97 ERA in three appearances this month. He allowed four earned runs and six hits in four innings in a 6-2 loss at Philadelphia on Sunday.

Peterson, who has a 52.9% groundball rate, could benefit from the change of scenery. Chicago has one of baseball’s best defensive infields, and New York committed six errors — all in the infield — during Wednesday night’s 10-5 loss to the Cubs in the second game of a doubleheader.

In other moves Thursday, the Mets placed infielder Marcus Semien on the 10-day injured list with a left hip flexor strain and recalled right-hander Daniel Duarte and infielder Ronny Mauricio from Triple-A Syracuse.

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MLB ROUNDUP: RAYS TAKE NO-NO INTO 9TH, JUNIOR CAMINERO HITS 3 HRS

Junior Caminero recorded his first career three-homer performance and the Tampa Bay Rays carried a no-hit bid into the ninth inning of a 13-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Thursday afternoon in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Ian Seymour (4-1) struck out seven batters and walked one over 6 2/3 innings in relief of opener Casey Legumina, who worked the first 1 1/3 frames. Craig Kimbrel gave up a two-run homer to Carter Jensen with one out in the ninth inning to break up the no-hit bid.

Caminero homered in the first, fifth and eighth innings, finishing with six RBIs as the Rays pounded out 15 hits and gained a split in the four-game series. Seth Lugo (3-5) gave up seven runs on seven hits in five innings of work for Kansas City.

Jonathan Aranda had three hits and two runs for Tampa Bay, which still has just one official no-hitter in franchise history, recorded by Matt Garza in a 5-0 win over the Detroit Tigers on July 26, 2010.

Phillies 10, Nationals 5

Bryce Harper’s tiebreaking two-run homer ignited a five-run ninth inning as visiting Philadelphia erupted late once again to defeat Washington.

For the third straight day, the Phillies prevailed against Washington with their backs against the wall. J.T. Realmuto added an RBI double before Derek Hill punctuated the rally with a two-run shot into the left field seats. Orion Kerkering (5-0) worked a scoreless eighth to get the win in relief of Cristopher Sanchez, who allowed five runs and seven hits in five innings.

Curtis Mead homered and Jacob Young drove in two runs for the Nationals.

Pirates 5, Mariners 1

Henry Davis and Brandon Lowe each homered and finished with two hits and two RBIs, helping host Pittsburgh prevail over Seattle.

The Pirates’ clutch hits backed up a strong start from Bubba Chandler (3-7), who gave up one run on five hits with four strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings. Pirates relievers combined to pitch 3 2/3 scoreless innings.

Mariners starter Bryce Miller (3-2) struck out 11 and did not issue a walk but allowed three runs on five hits over 5 2/3 innings. J.P. Crawford drove in the Mariners’ lone run.

Athletics 9, Giants 6

Jonah Heim tied the game with a single, Lawrence Butler produced the go-ahead run with a hit and Max Muncy delivered two insurance runs with a single as the visiting Athletics plated four runs in the ninth inning to overtake San Francisco, avoiding a three-game sweep.

The A’s scored the game’s final seven runs after a bases-clearing triple by Jung Hoo Lee and a two-run homer by Victor Bericoto converted a one-run Giants deficit into a 6-2 lead in the sixth. A two-run single by Shea Langeliers in the seventh and an RBI single by Jeff McNeil in the eighth got the A’s back within 6-5.

Henry Bolte ignited the rally with an infield single off Giants right-hander Caleb Kilian (2-4). Geoff Hartlieb (1-0), who hadn’t factored into a major league decision since 2020 with the Pittsburgh Pirates, was credited with the win after tossing two scoreless relief innings.

Astros 2, Tigers 1

Tatsuya Imai threw six shutout innings to help Houston edge host Detroit in the opener of their four-game series.

Imai (5-3) allowed two hits, struck out 10 and walked one to improve to 3-0 this month. AJ Blubaugh pitched two innings of scoreless relief before Enyel De Los Santos closed the ninth, when he allowed one run, for his fifth save of the season.

Taylor Trammell homered and Jeremy Pena delivered two of the game’s 10 hits and scored a run for the Astros, who have won three in a row. Tigers starter Troy Melton (4-1) trying to win his fourth straight start, lost despite allowing just one run and one hit over six innings. He struck out six and didn’t walk a batter on 88 pitches.

Rangers 6, Blue Jays 5

Wyatt Langford hit a three-run homer, MacKenzie Gore pitched seven effective innings and Texas led 6-0 before holding off host Toronto.

Gore (5-6) allowed three runs, four hits and one walk with five strikeouts. Jacob Latz picked up his 15th save despite allowing two runs in the ninth. Jake Burger added a two-run blast and Joc Pederson also homered for the Rangers.

Kazuma Okamoto had two hits, including a two-run homer in the ninth, for the Blue Jays, who have lost three straight. Kevin Gausman (4-6) completed six innings, allowing six runs, 10 hits and two walks with four strikeouts.

Red Sox 6, Yankees 3

Caleb Durbin hit a two-run home run and Connelly Early struck out nine in six innings as host Boston scored six unearned runs to beat New York, which committed four errors.

Durbin’s home run came against Yankees starter Cam Schlittler (8-4) and broke a 2-2 tie in the fifth inning. The Red Sox scored four times in the inning. Early (7-5) gave up two runs on five hits and walked one.

Jose Caballero hit a solo homer for New York, which had the bases loaded with two outs in the ninth, but Aroldis Chapman retired Ben Rice on a grounder back to the mound to pick up his 15th save. Schlittler recorded nine strikeouts and gave up five hits and two walks in five innings.

Cubs 4, Mets 3 (10 innings)

Pete Crow-Armstrong’s tiebreaking hit in the 10th inning allowed visiting Chicago to finish off a four-game sweep of New York.

Crow-Armstrong, who finished 2-for-5, has a 14-game hitting streak and has reached base safely in 27 consecutive games, both career highs. His double in the 10th drove in automatic runner Matt Shaw. Michael Conforto, Alex Bregman and Ian Happ all had run-scoring hits in the sixth for the Cubs, who have won six of seven.

Eric Wagaman delivered a pinch-hit two-run homer in the sixth and Jared Young went deep leading off the seventh for the Mets, who have lost six straight to fall to 8-14 this month.

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