NLCS will create cap leverage

[Youboughtit]

NLCS Outcome May Influence MLB Labor Battle Over Salary Cap

OCT 13, 2025 2:45 PM

Welcome
The National League Championship Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and Los Angeles Dodgers could significantly impact Major League Baseball's labor negotiations ahead of the collective bargaining agreement's expiration on December 1, 2026. The series represents a proxy battle between high-spending and low-payroll team-building philosophies as owners push for a salary cap.

A Dodgers championship would strengthen MLB's argument for implementing a salary cap, according to ESPN. Los Angeles carries a record payroll exceeding $500 million, equal to the combined payrolls of the league's bottom six teams this season.

The Brewers have won five NL Central titles and reached the playoffs seven times over the past eight years with a payroll approximately $115 million. Milwaukee's 97-65 record this season was the best in baseball despite finishing in the bottom third of league payroll.

Of the 26 players on Milwaukee's NLCS roster, 15 came via trade and only one major league free agent appears on the team. Left-hander Jose Quintana signed a one-year, $4 million deal in March as the Brewers' lone free-agent addition.

MLB is expected to lock out players when the current collective bargaining agreement expires. The MLBPA has maintained its decades-long opposition to a salary cap and prepared for potential work stoppage in 2027.

A Brewers victory would provide evidence that team-building success can occur regardless of financial resources. The union could argue that organizational acumen matters more than spending when negotiating against cap proposals.

The Dodgers won championships in 2020 and 2024 and has captured 12 NL West titles in the past 13 seasons. The Dodgers would become the first team to win back-to-back World Series since the New York Yankees in 1999-2000.

The competitive-balance tax was implemented specifically to address concerns about Yankees spending. MLB owners have grown increasingly vocal about the Dodgers' payroll both publicly and privately.

[Youboughtit]

https://baseball.realgm.com/wiretap/603 ... Salary-Cap

[Ozziesfan41]

All they need to do is read cards talk they say the post season is just a (bleep) shoot and has nothing to do with payroll so even if the dodgers make it to the World Series so even if they make it to the World Series for the 5th time in 9 years they will say they just got lucky in the (bleep) shoot

[Youboughtit]

All they need to do is read cards talk they say the post season is just a (bleep) shoot and has nothing to do with payroll

Well if Cards fans do want to have a Cap and control the big markets they need to be rooting for the Dodgers

[Ozziesfan41]

All they need to do is read cards talk they say the post season is just a (bleep) shoot and has nothing to do with payroll

Well if Cards fans do want to have a Cap and control the big markets they need to be rooting for the Dodgers

Why it’s just a (bleep) shoot they say

[Youboughtit]

All they need to do is read cards talk they say the post season is just a (bleep) shoot and has nothing to do with payroll

Well if Cards fans do want to have a Cap and control the big markets they need to be rooting for the Dodgers

Why it’s just a (bleep) shoot they say

Maybe if like in 2006 the Cardinals had 3-4 HOF players and underperform then yes but that team was projected to be top 4 preseason and had elite talent. However only 1 team with a lower payroll than 13 has won in 30 years.

[Ozziesfan41]

All they need to do is read cards talk they say the post season is just a (bleep) shoot and has nothing to do with payroll

Well if Cards fans do want to have a Cap and control the big markets they need to be rooting for the Dodgers

Why it’s just a (bleep) shoot they say

Maybe if like in 2006 the Cardinals had 3-4 HOF players and underperform then yes but that team was projected to be top 4 preseason and had elite talent. However only 1 team with a lower payroll than 13 has won in 30 years.

I know it’s just hilarious when people try to use 2006 and 2011 to say just get in and anything can happen in the post season it’s a crapshoot. Even Edmonds said they were a good team they just got healthy at the right time

[Youboughtit]

All they need to do is read cards talk they say the post season is just a (bleep) shoot and has nothing to do with payroll

Well if Cards fans do want to have a Cap and control the big markets they need to be rooting for the Dodgers

Why it’s just a (bleep) shoot they say

Maybe if like in 2006 the Cardinals had 3-4 HOF players and underperform then yes but that team was projected to be top 4 preseason and had elite talent. However only 1 team with a lower payroll than 13 has won in 30 years.

I know it’s just hilarious when people try to use 2006 and 2011 to say just get in and anything can happen in the post season it’s a crapshoot. Even Edmonds said they were a good team they just got healthy at the right time

Top 11 payroll opening day for both seasons and added significantly to payroll during the season and had multiple HOFers. So yea. If the Cardinals added 3-4 HOFers and had a current top 10 payroll of $225m and “just sneak in that would be the comparable.

[cardstatman]

13 of the 15 highest payrolls are out.

13 of the 15 lowest payrolls are out.

Clearly payroll is the single most important factor for going deep in the playoffs.

[rockondlouie]

I don't see there ever being a cap (even if I'd love to see it).

[Youboughtit]

13 of the 15 highest payrolls are out.

13 of the 15 lowest payrolls are out.

Clearly payroll is the single most important factor for going deep in the playoffs.

Let’s see who wins. My $ is on the high ones. That’s my entire point. A small like Milwaukee can get here with their bye and playing a division opponent without ever seeing a big $ team. These next 2 series is where the challenge is. Winning the WS heavily favors the higher payrolls