Good morning, A’s fans. Happy Friday!
Yesterday, the MLB general manager meetings in Las Vegas wrapped up following four days of discussions between executives from all 30 teams. For many general managers, reporters and other league personnel, it marked their first opportunity to see the Athletics’ ballpark under construction, which will begin hosting major league games in 2028.
The Baseball Writers’ Association of America unveiled the 2026 award winners this week. Last night, the league MVPs received
the spotlight. Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez and Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong were unanimously named Most Valuable Players in their respective leagues.
The GM meetings also officially kicked off hot stove season. The Atlanta Braves and Detroit Tigers announced their first signings of the winter. Both clubs bolstered their bullpens, with the Braves signing right-hander Evan Phillips and the Tigers agreeing to terms with right-hander Emilio Pagán.
With a potential Dec.1 lockout looming as the collective bargaining agreement expires, these transactions could be the first of many over the next few weeks. Most free agents will likely look to sign new contracts before the league potentially changes its entire economic structure during this winter’s labor negotiations.
If the owners and Commissioner Rob Manfred get their way, they will implement a salary cap and floor system beginning in 2028. Among the four most popular professional sports leagues in the United States, MLB is the only one that does not have such a system in place.
Team owners believe a salary cap will help bolster competitive balance by reducing the resource advantages possessed by big-market teams. For instance, the small-market A’s would benefit as a proposed $180.2 million salary floor, which would force owner John Fisher to significantly increase the team’s payroll through heightened free-agent activity and/or more lucrative contracts. Ideally, that would result in a greater amount of competitive seasons rather than dreary 100-loss campaigns.
However, players understandably oppose a salary cap out of fear that the system will limit the earning potential of elite talent. A’s designated hitter Brent Rooker echoed those sentiments during a podcast appearance this past spring.
With time running out to salvage an agreement, is there any hope of avoiding a lockout? And, are you on the owners’ or players’ side regarding the salary cap and floor debate?
A’s Coverage:
- A’s First 2 Off-Season Additions Bode Well
- New GM Castro, POBO Smith give glimpse into vision for A’s
- New A’s front office already hitting the ground running at GM Meetings
- The A’s, with a big move to Las Vegas looming, look to be aggressive
- Athletics Hire Cam Castro As General Manager
- Taylor Smith’s Improbable Quest: A Quality SP
- A’s trade RHP prospect to Red Sox for outfielder Eaton
- Three A’s Officially Elect Free Agency
- 28 A’s Minor Leaguers Choose Free Agency
- A’s prospect who was ‘born to hit’ bringing big smiles, intangibles to Fall League
- After standout year, No. 7 prospect Taylor could factor into A’s ‘27 plans
- Q&A: Smith discusses his new role as youngest head of baseball ops in MLB
- Why A’s Bringing Back Sonny Gray Could Make Sense
- Optics vs. Infrastructure: Taylor Smith’s First Dilemma
- Athletics Hire Taylor Smith As Next President of Baseball Operations
- A’s Max Muncy Undergoes Knee Debridement
- The five biggest questions facing the A’s this offseason
- Inside the A’s State-of-the-Art Las Vegas Ballpark
- Landlord of future A’s Vegas stadium may need to cover additional construction costs
- How technology will shape fan experiences at the A’s Las Vegas ballpark
- Pitching prospect Huggins growing his game with the help of this A’s Hall of Famer
- ’Be a sponge’: No. 19 prospect leads A’s Fall League group with do-it-all mentality
- Get the best of Athletics Nation on the new SB Nation app
- How to play in-5 Trivia on the SB Nation app
MLB News & Interest:
- First-time MVP winners (both unanimous!) usher in new era of superstars
- GM Meetings lay groundwork for ‘crazy couple of weeks’
- Relief stalwart Phillips inks 3-year deal with Braves
- Here are the ’26 All-MLB First and Second Teams
- Here’s every ranked prospect that needs to be protected ahead of Tuesday’s 40-man deadline
- Baseball is booming. Scott Boras says that’s exactly why MLB doesn’t need a salary cap
- Astros hire Brad Ausmus as next manager
- Miz adds NL Cy Young Award to World Series title
- Schlittler caps 1st full season with Yankees’ 7th AL Cy Young Award
- Scouting Japan’s next wave of MLB talent: What to know about Teruaki Sato, Kaima Taira, Hiromi Itoh
- Source: Tigers agree to 1-year deal with reliever Emilio Pagan
- Nationals, OF Jacob Young agree on 4-year deal with ’31 option
- Brewers’ Murphy 3-peats as top NL manager; White Sox’s Venable wins AL honors
- Giants’ Randy Rodríguez shut down after brief AFL stint
- Chris Martin Retires
- Hot Stove rumors: Jazz, Goodman, Sato, Suzuki, Abrams
- Mets Eyeing Left-Handed Relievers
- Braves GM emphatically shuts down Ronald Acuna trade speculation: ‘We need him’
- Cubs’ Ben Brown undergoes successful spine surgery, GM says
- Yankees Interested In Alec Bohm
- 4 known teams, 2 mystery clubs to meet with Skubal
- Dodgers Reportedly Prefer Short-Term Deal In Skubal Bidding
- Blue Jays eye Skubal, but how realistic is a deal?
- Today in Baseball History
Best of X
Las Vegas A’s ballpark continues to take shape.
How should the Athletics reallocate the money saved by declining Jeff McNeil’s and Jeffrey Springs’ club options?
Insightful video. What do you think of these free-agency predictions? Would you be happy if the A’s sign Nick Martinez?
Luke Little is a hard-throwing left-handed reliever who has major issues throwing strikes. He fits right in with the A’s 2026 pitching staff. It will be interesting to see if the club’s new front office can fix this reclamation project. #WildThing
