Defenseman Morgan Rielly and left winger Matthew Knies have been linked to trade rumors for quite some time now.
The Toronto Maple Leafs duo were recently included in an off-season trade board by The Athletic's Chris Johnston. In this trade board, Rielly was listed at No. 5, while Knies was slotted in at No. 12.
It's true, Rielly has a no-move clause on his contract, and Knies is one of the young stars who should help propel the Maple Leafs back into contention after a fallen season this past campaign. However, there are reasons as to why these two have been consistently linked to trade rumors.
Rielly, 32, is the longest-tenured member of the current Maple Leafs roster. He's gearing up for his 14th NHL season and is 49 appearances away from reaching the 1,000-game plateau.
Rielly would be the sixth player in Maple Leafs history to play 1,000 games for the franchise, and would surpass Mats Sundin on the list of games played in his next 30 regular-season games with Toronto.
However, despite the aforementioned no-move clause on his eight-year, $7.5-million-per-year contract, there is a real possibility that the veteran defenseman doesn't make it to the 2026-27 season with Toronto.
"(Rielly) has previously been unwilling to consider waiving his no-movement clause but has since softened on that stance," Johnston wrote. "He still controls the process because of that mechanism in his contract, but a fresh start is looking increasingly likely."
Though Rielly and the Maple Leafs have been attached for the duration of his NHL career, there is an understanding that it could be beneficial for both sides to start fresh.
He hasn't performed up to expectations in the past two seasons. Rielly is coming off a 36-point campaign after playing 78 games for the Leafs, which is his lowest point total since the 2020-21 season, when he played just 55 games.
He also notched the second-worst plus-minus rating of his entire career (minus-18), and that includes the Maple Leafs' ugly years between 2013-14 and 2015-16.
As for Knies, he's been a real bright spot for the Maple Leafs as a young player who's been able to have an impact in the NHL. The 23-year-old is coming off another solid season, scoring 23 goals, as well as a career-high of 43 assists and 66 points.
So why would Toronto consider moving off a young star like Knies, who can be a part of the solution in getting the Leafs back in the Stanley Cup playoffs?
"(The Maple Leafs) felt he could bring back a bonanza of assets to reboot a program short on prospects and draft picks," Johnston said.
There's a real argument that Knies is the most valuable asset in the Maple Leafs' organization in terms of what Toronto can receive in a trade. In fact, it wasn't long ago that Johnston also reported that someone who works for an NHL team said they'd be willing to give up more assets for Knies than Auston Matthews.
In a system that doesn't have several outstanding prospects and assets to dispense, Toronto's front office might have to consider sacrificing its young star to stock the cupboards further.
Not to mention, on a team that has plenty of players with trade protection and clauses, Knies' contract doesn't include any of that language until 2030-31, when he has a 10-team no-trade list, according to puckpedia.com.
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May 28, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers right fielder Wenceel Perez (46) celebrates after he hits a home run in the second inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
The Tigers headed into their afternoon game with the opportunity to actually win a series for the first time in a long time. They had Jack Flaherty on the mound to pitch, up against Grayson Rodriguez for the Angels. It could be anyone’s game.
In the top of the first, Mike Trout got a one-out double, but two outs followed to leave him stranded. Colt Keith got a leadoff walk for the Tigers in the first. Then, with two outs, Riley Greene singled to put two men on, but the Tigers weren’t able to bring either runner home.
Flaherty got into a zone (specifically finding the zone pretty nicely), and got the Angels out in order. In the home half, with two outs, Wenceel Perez homered, putting the Tigers on the board first. It was the only run they’d get for the inning, but first run is always nice.
so good we might share it 5 (FIVE!?!) different times
The Angels managed only a single baserunner in the third with a one-out single by Donovan Walton, but otherwise Flaherty kept the side in check. The Tigers went 1-2-3 in the home half.
The fourth inning was likewise uneventful as both teams were three-up, three-down.
By the fifth, Flaherty’s command was starting to look a little less precise, giving up a leadoff double to Jo Adell. A wild pitch by Flaherty advanced Adell to third, then Sebastian Rivero singled into left, scoring the first Angels run. Walton then singled. Zach Neto then doubled, bringing in another run, and I choose to believe this is all Tom Selleck’s fault for eating a plain hot dog during the broadcast. Mike Trout was intentionally walked to load the bases and the wheels were pretty much off of Flaherty at this point. Vaughn Grissom hit a sac fly, bringing in another run. At the halfway mark of the inning the Angels were up 3-1. The Tigers did little to claw their way back in the home half, getting only a two-out walk from Jake Rogers and no runs.
For some reason, Flaherty was still in the game in the sixth. He made it through the first two outs before being pulled. His final line for the game was 5.2 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 9 K on 91 pitches. He started strong and had some really good innings, but I think this game makes a perfect example of why Flaherty would be better suited to a 2-3 innings bullpen role instead of a traditional starter. We’ve seen similar performances from him this season. Drew Sommers came out of the pen to get the final out of the inning. In the bottom of the inning the Angels made a pitching change as well, bringing in Drew Pomeranz. He got the Tigers out in order.
Brenan Hanifee was the new Tigers pitcher for the seventh. There was an on-field pause as Rivero appeared to call for an ABS challenge, reconsidered in the middle of tapping his head, and tried to play it off like he didn’t tap his helmet, which resulted in a big discussion amongst the umpiring crew. The decision seemed to be that he didn’t challenge, which is silly, because he clearly did challenge (and would have won the challenge, too). Anyway, silliness. He struck out. With two outs, Neto singled. Neto then stole second and was called safe, but the Tigers challenged and the call was overturned to end the inning. José Fermin came in for the bottom of the inning. Zach McKinstry got a one-out walk, but a double play then ended the inning.
Ricky Vanasco came in for the eighth and gave up a leadoff walk to Trout. Grissom then doubled, bringing Trout home. Jorge Soler singled, scoring Grissom. Wade Meckler grounded into a force out, and was then swapped for a pinch-runner in Jose Siri. Siri got tagged out trying to steal second, and the Tigers were able to get the final out after that to keep the inning from getting too far out of hand. Sam Bachman was the newest Angels pitcher out of the pen and he gave up a leadoff double to Perez. With one out, Keith walked. A Kevin McGonigle groundout advanced the baserunners, then Dingler walked to load the bases. Greene struck out though, and the Tigers’ best opportunity for a comeback turned into a pot of LOBsters.
With two outs in the ninth, Walton singled. Neto walked. Trout doubled, scoring two more runs. The Tigers were down to their last chance in the bottom of the ninth and they’d do it against Ryan Zeferjahn. McKinstry got a one-out walk. One more out later, Perez walked (have a day, Wenceel). It didn’t matter, though, the Tigers weren’t able to right the ship, and they dropped the series. At least they got a win out of it yesterday to avoid the sweep.
NEW YORK CITY - MARCH 25: NBA Commissioner Adam Silver addresses the media following the Board of Governors meetings on March 25, 2026 at the St. Regis Hotel in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Per ESPN’s Shams Charania, the NBA has passed a number of changes to the NBA Draft Lottery, effective for the upcoming 2026-27 season and lasting through at least 2029.
Breaking: The NBA's Board of Governors has passed new anti-tanking rules that include expanding the draft lottery from 14 to 16 teams, a relegation zone where the bottom 3 teams get penalized with lessened chances for the No. 1 pick, and flattened odds, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/e1oq10p2yV
The “3-2-1” lottery moniker is a slight misnomer, as the bottom three teams will receive “2” lottery balls each. Spots four through 10 will receive “3” lottery balls each. The 9-vs-10 game teams will also receive “2” lottery balls each, and the losers of the 7-vs-8 games will receive “1” ball each. I guess the “2-3-2-1” lottery isn’t as catchy a title.
The lottery expanding from 14 to 16 teams is a significant change, as now teams can actually split the difference by making the playoffs and getting a chance in the lottery. The losers of the 7-vs-8 games will receive one lottery ball each, and the 9-vs-10 teams receive two lottery balls, so the two teams who win the second round of the Play-In Tournament (i.e. loser of 7-vs-8 vs. winner of 9-vs-10) will get to be in the playoffs and remain in the lottery. Basically, advancing to the playoffs from the 9- or 10-spot would grant you the same lottery odds as the worst team in the league.
Additionally, no one will be able to win the first overall pick in consecutive years or have three consecutive top-five picks. The vote passed 29-1, with the Memphis Grizzlies the only vote against.
Critics of this reform have argued this will actually lead to more tanking, as the four through 10 group is even more of an advantage than it was previously. You could imagine scenarios where teams tank even earlier to ensure they’re in that group, or tank extremely hard down the stretch to drop from the 11th or 12th spot to 10th. It also gets harder for teams that are just plain bad, not due to tanking, to life themselves out of it, which was the whole point of a draft lottery system in the first place.
What do you think? For, against, or indifferent on the new system?
A Tigers fan was in desperate need of a towel following Wenceel Perez’s home run on Thursday morning.
As the Detroit outfielder planted a Grayson Rodriguez fastball over the right field wall during the second inning of the Tigers’ tilt with the Angels at Comerica Park, a fan spectacularly spilled his drink all over himself as he made an attempt to snag the souvenir.
This fan tried to catch a home run ball but ended up spilling his drink everywhere instead pic.twitter.com/ngzJuV0n8Z
Broadcast footage from the matchup in Michigan showed the guy reached up for the ball with both of his hands, this despite one being completely occupied by a full beverage.
But as the ball came crashing down, it bounced off the guy’s cup and created a mess.
Detroit Tigers right fielder Wenceel Perez (46) hits a home run in the second inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Comerica Park. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Liquid spilled everywhere — including all down the man’s Tigers shirt. And, to add insult to injury, the ball ended up in another fan’s hands.
The man didn’t seem totally broken up about it, perhaps because the play did result in the Tigers getting a 1-0 lead.
A Tigers fan’s drink spilled everywhere after he failed to catch a home run ball in the Angels vs. Tigers game Thursday. JM Baseball
It’s the second time this series that there’s been a viral moment at the Detroit ballpark. During Wednesday’s game, the internet couldn’t stop talking about how Los Angeles designated hitter Jorge Soler was caught giving little-to-no-effort on a routine ground ball play.
The series will conclude following Thursday’ action, but with a few outs still left in the game, there somehow might be even more fodder for X users on the way.
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - APRIL 26: Major League Baseball Commissioner Robert D. Manfred Jr. talks with San Diego Padres Chief Executive Officer Erik Greupner and Major League Baseball Deputy Commissioner, Baseball Administration and Chief Legal Officer Dan Halem prior to a 2026 Mexico City Series game between the San Diego Padres and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helu on Sunday, April 26, 2026 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
So, we have now been able to see an opening proposal from the MLBPA and from the MLB owners. Let us know your thoughts on these proposals below.
Jeff Passan on Twitter summarized MLBPA’s first proposal yesterday as such:
“An increase in base CBT threshold from $244M to $300M, A “competitive-integrity tax” for any team that does not spend $150M, Increasing minimum salary from $780,000 to $1.5M, Changes to the revenue-sharing system that would distribute more money from local television revenue but decrease the amount distributed from in-stadium revenue — to incentivize teams that win and draw larger crowds, Free agency for players who are 30 at 5+ years of service, Teams that receive revenue sharing forfeit portions of their checks depending on payroll levels. Recipients that win receive more money, Pre-arb bonus pool increases from $50M to $180M – $3M minimum tender in arbitration, Arbitration super 2s jump from 22% of players to 44%”
Jesse Rogers broke down the proposal for ESPN here.
Jorge Castillo broke down the league’s proposal from today for ESPN here. Jesse Rogers of ESPN summarized the highlights below on Twitter:
MLB proposed a hard salary cap to union officials today as part of the next CBA, sources tell ESPN. The salary floor for teams beginning in 2027 would be set at $171.2 million which includes player benefits with the ceiling at $245.3 million. The league’s proposal includes a 50/50 split of revenues with players as well as all revenue from local media centralized and then shared equally. As revenues go up, so too does the cap. Side note: If the union agrees to the concept of a cap, the league would be open to negotiating a host of things incuding phasing it in, a Larry Bird-esque rule and changes to free agency/arbitration etc, etc. Early stages here.
Let us know your thoughts on these proposals as baseball begins negotiations to see if a lengthy lockout/missed games in the 2027 season can be avoided.
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 29: Josh Okogie of Rockets warms up before the NBA playoffs game 5 between Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets at the Crypto.com Arena on April 29, 2026 in Los Angeles, California, United States. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images) | Anadolu via Getty Images
The Houston Rockets are evaluating their future when it comes to veteran shooting guard Josh Okogie.
Okogie, 27, signed with the Rockets on a one-year minimum deal in the offseason and turned out to be a bargain for the team. He even started two playoff games for the Rockets in their series against the Los Angeles Lakers last month.
Bleacher Report writer Eric Pincus praised Okogie and believes he could have interest around the league in free agency.
“Okogie is a capable veteran who played in 78 games for the Rockets (starting 32) at 17.4 minutes per game. He defends and shoots the ball well (38.5 percent from three) on low volume,” Pincus wrote.
Okogie only averaged 4.5 points per game this past season, which was a step back from where he was a year ago. That being said, he did play in 78 games and shot a career-high 38.5 percent from deep.
The Rockets likely would want to have Okogie back on a minimum deal if he was interested in returning. That being said there is reason to believe that he may have interest from other teams around the league, which could start a bidding war.
Contending teams could justify signing Okogie for the mid-level exception (~$5-6 million), which could be out of price range for the Rockets considering he only made $3.1 million. However, a raise could be in the cards based on his successful run with the Rockets this past season.
TDS community, how much would you pay Okogie this offseason? Should the Rockets sign him or let him walk? Let us know in the comments section below.
Now that the Stanley Cup Final round is just around the calendar – likely Vegas vs. Canes – it's fun to wonder how your Beloved Blueshirts would have fared had they made the postseason.
Eastern Conference teams that beat out New York for a playoff berth include Montreal, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Boston, Philly and Ottawa.
Of the group The Maven considers Buffalo and Montreal the best of the bunch. I expected Buffalo to be better but the Habs have turned out to be the surprise team of the lower end.
It's easy to say that the Rangers should have made the playoffs instead of Pittsburgh but in the end, the Penguins had the leadership of Sidney Crosby and a brilliant new coach.
You can "If" all you want but, in the end had Sully's team made it to the first playoff round, the Rangers would have been in and out of the playoffs faster than the Avs went in and then out of the third round!
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 02: A detailed view of the shoes on Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the fourth quarter of a game against the Boston Celtics in Game Seven of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at TD Garden on May 02, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We are now a few days removed from the Colorado Avalanche being eliminated via sweep from the Stanley Cup Playoffs. After reading through a catalog of blame game articles and social posts, I’ve decided to make an entry of a different sort.
I’m not here to blame any one individual for what happened during Colorado’s cataclysmic meltdown that saw a team that was 8-1 through two rounds of playoff hockey waste eight days and leave the bracket with an 8-5 record.
The Avalanche and their fans got handshakes and heartbreak rather than the glitz and glory of another cup run, but what led to this collapse?
Cognitive Dissonance
If you ask me, it boils down to saying what you do, and doing what you say, and how the Avalanche as a whole has failed to live up to their systems-first messaging.
We are beaten over the head with “next man up” and “Buy into the system and the system will take care of itself”, but have seen management leverage young talent for “the perfect fit,” the coaching staff lean on and deploy top groups more than ever and when not even fully healthy, all while some top players refuse to embody the message in the most crucial moments.
Logan O’Connor:
“We let down coaches, each other, fans, management. It’s on us as players to be far better than we were.. lot of disappointment right now” pic.twitter.com/vaEJADEsrN
Now consider that the bottom of the Avalanche forward group, which embodied the system and approach, was clearly the most effective group, yet still sat and watched an uncomfortable, hobbled Nate MacKinnon and Cale Makar attempt to wince their way to a comeback in the closing seconds of games three and four.
I’ll be super clear on one thing. I’m not suggesting you bench either Nathan MacKinnon or Cale Makar, but rather that you reward the guys who are buying in and give yourself the best shot of winning by doing so.
Problems Perculate on the Power Play
You know where I see contradiction most obviously? How Colorado approaches the power play.
Anyone who has followed the Avalanche season from start to finish knows that the power play was a hot-button topic all season after the Avalanche and their failure to execute on the man advantage last postseason dominated offseason narratives.
The power play struggled again throughout the regular season and into the postseason.
Adjustments were made to try to enable the highly talented top group, but in general, the Avalanche’s power play, with world-class talent, was nowhere near as effective as it should have been.
None of those adjustments panned out, yet it was still the first unit that consistently held the majority of the advantage. The second power play group that has a few players you just had to trade for hardly ever saw a look at more than 30 seconds of a power play. Most of the time, it takes 5-10 seconds just to enter and cycle. So basically, the second group constantly got one crack at making a difference, even when the top group clearly wasn’t.
Working Up the Leaderboard
Now that I’ve laid it out, I want to talk a bit about the power dynamic in Colorado, as I see leadership from players all the way up to management having a hand in the separation between philosophy and practice.
Let’s start with Captain Gabe Landeskog, who definitely bought into the system and was among Colorado’s most effective postseason players for two consecutive seasons now. Gabe no doubt has a unique perspective given his storied return to hockey, and was obviously in various shades of disappointment/frustration throughout the Vegas series.
When Jared Bednar was first brought on, here’s what Landeskog had to say about Bednar’s approach: “He wants to play fast. He wants to play quick and play in the O-zone and get on the forecheck. With our speed up front, I think it will benefit us. Spending less time in the D-zone will be something we’ll all be looking to do. The systems are going to work to our advantage.”
Based on Landeskog’s performance, he clearly appreciates Bednar’s strategy, and on paper, all of what he saw does fit this Avalanche squad. But what happens when your top guys try to red-cape it when the going gets tough?
Gabe is doing plenty, as far as I’m concerned, by leading by example and by saying what needs to be said. With that, I turn to the head coach and how he could empower Landeskog and get the top guys to hold the big picture dear, no matter how competitive and capable they are, or how much adversity they face.
Playoff hockey is like playing a game of stygian chicken, and Vegas never, not once, thought about changing course. They were going to go for a head-on collision or force the Avs to veer out of desperation.
The Avalanche did veer off course, playing like an insecure club without any answers for what was being thrown at them.
Vegas clogged the middle of the ice, stayed home, capitalized on Colorado’s mistakes, and said, “We can do this all night.”
Colorado responded by being perfectly content with the fool’s gold of perimeter looks, time and time again.
The message was “we gotta keep playing our game,” but in my opinion, they stopped playing Avalanche hockey in game two of the Western Conference Final.
Does the undeniable shelf life of Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar as Avalanche mainstays require that Jared Bednar cater to them to a fault for survival? Would he be let go quickly if he stood his ground or made more public statements about the specifics of his displeasure?
Did we see a passive-aggressive version of that with the “It’s up to Cale” phiasco? It’s impossible to say for sure, as vagueness is among the most-used tools in Bednar’s press bag.
If Bednar isn’t comfortable sticking to his guns to foster a pleased elite core, that presents a real problem.
The Great Divide
You don’t need to be a part of an NHL hockey team to know what a lack of accountability or consistency can do to a team. In business, if one employee sees another employee afforded benefits despite poor performance, it can be demoralizing. Moreover, if the message is “do your job,” but some are enabled not to do so, the whole group begins to lose respect for the process and leadership.
No one goes above and beyond for a boss who seems to do things that contradict his message.
The lack of accountability may lead to some division in the room, though I have no insight into that. On the surface, everything seems peachy (outside of disappointment), but that’s rarely the case when a team implodes like this.
I could apply this thinking to Jared Bednar as it pertains to his stars, but I really don’t think he, at his core, believes in catering to superstars over the team. If his actions contradict that, I have to look further up the leadership ladder to find a reason why, and I think I have one.
Starts at the Top
We can’t say GM Chris MacFarland caters to superstars if he traded one, right?
Well, from my vantage, MacFarland has officially leveraged every shred of futures for the Avalanche in hopes of getting at least one more cup from the current core, and it’s all been for naught.
After dealing more picks for specific roles, the Avalanche are both without hardware or a clear path into the future.
If your coach says it doesn’t matter who plays and that it’s about the system, wouldn’t it be better to develop more young guns and play the long game?
We have examples of exactly that already working in Colorado.
Logan O’Connor, Sam Malinski, and others have survived being traded long enough to develop into effective NHL players, with LOC being a huge part of the team’s identity. Or at least that’s what we are told.
This whole article is riddled with hindsight and recency biases, but let’s take a look at some of the deals I view as challenging the idea that anyone can fill the roles in this system.
MacFarland leveraged Alex Newhook for Mikael Gulyayev, Ross Colton, and Gianni Fairbrother back in 2023, as Newhook was asked to fill in at 2C along with J.T. Compher when Kadri couldn’t be retained after a cup win.
Because he was unable to do so immediately and the pressure of a win-now window, Colorado elected to swap Newhook’s budding talent for a bona fide Stanley Cup Champion talent in Ross Colton. Rosco was good, but he was also scratched to start the playoffs, and Newhook has 10 points and has been Montreal’s clutchest player of the postseason in the here and now.
That youthful scoring touch and gamer mentality would have been nice this year, and, to be fair, Newhook showed he had it in 2022; otherwise, we wouldn’t have thought he could be a 2C for a competitor for three months.
Management also infamously swapped Bowen Byram in a one-for-one for Casey Mittlestadt, who lands pretty high on the list of biggest trade flops ever.
He now plays for the Bruins, as he was traded for Charlie Coyle ahead of last year’s playoff disappointment.
Charlie Coyle was subsequently traded with a throw-in of Miles Wood for Gavin Brindley (nice) and a couple of picks.
So, inevitably, Bowen Byram is traded for a young player with potential, but one that’s likely 2 to 3 years away (at the time of the trade) from being an NHL mainstay.
What was Bo up to this year?
Oh, just playing a pivotal role in getting the Buffalo Sabres back to the playoffs for the first time in 15 years, and posting seven points in 13 playoff games including a franchise-tying record four goals from a defenseman.
Bowen Byram has his fourth of the playoffs as the Sabres' power play stays hot in Game 1 💪 pic.twitter.com/PeANMyx6RK
I reiterate that I know I have the benefit of hindsight here. Still, the justification for leveraging Colorado’s fleeting surplus of back-end talent and young, not-quite-there forwards is that winning now matters. The Avalanche haven’t won anything beyond the regular season during this window. That’s a fact.
The Way Forward
This article sucks. It’s just me saying the easiest thing you can easily say about a team that didn’t live up to the hype, but it’s the hype I blame.
My colleague Ezra Parter at the Mile High Hockey Lab coined our catchphrase: “Hockey is random and difficult,” and I think it’s a bit of wisdom that the Avalanche should take into the thought process from top to bottom.
We officially know you can build a stacked roster, but you have enough small vulnerabilities that allow a team to dismantle the NHL’s scoringest regular-season team. Bednar himself said it takes some luck, but what it really takes is resolve and patience. Luck makes its appearance inside that mindset more often than not, but remember, luck is when preparation meets opportunity.
I see a way forward for this Avalanche team, but it’s going to hurt. Believe it or not, this loss may be just what the now-mature core needs to recommit to the process.
The Avalanche organization can’t buy the hype and has to get back to its philosophical foundations. They aren’t a team looking to change the culture and become competitive, as they were back in 2022. Now they are a high-flying, heavily decorated group of individuals set on living up to expectations.
I say get back to the mindset of never being bigger than the game, or the process, or your team. You win as a team, and you lose as a team. When you leave the team behind, losing happens much more often and quickly.
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES - 2023/07/26: Deputy Executive Director at Major League Baseball Players Association Bruce Meyer speaks as striking members of Writers Guild of America picketing in front of CBS Broadcast Center on theme Sport Writers Picket. Executives from NHL Players Association, NFL Players Association, MLB Players Association joined and spoke during picket. (Photo by Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images) | (Photo by Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)
The labor negotiations between MLB and the MLBPA began on May 12, with each side making opening presentations. On May 27, the MLBPA released the first substantive policy proposals for the upcoming Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
As expected, the MLBPA seeks to modify the current CBA system rather than pursue a dramatic overhaul. The major policy proposals include, per Jeff Passan:
A “competitive-integrity tax” for any team that does not spend $150M
An increase in the minimum salary from $780,000 to $1.5M
An increase in the base Competitive Balance Tax threshold from $244M to $300M
Changes to the revenue-sharing system that would distribute more money from local television revenue, but decrease the amount distributed from in-stadium revenue, to incentivize teams that win and draw larger crowds
Free agency for players who are 30 at 5+ years of service
Teams that receive revenue sharing forfeit portions of their checks depending on payroll levels. Recipients who win receive more money
Pre-arbibration bonus pool increases from $50M to $180M
$3M minimum tender in arbitration
Arbitration super 2s jump from 22% of players to 44%
Evan Drellich of The Athleticalso listed some additional union proposals that Jeff Passan did not mention on Twitter:
The minimum salary would later climb to $1.65 million in 2028, $1.825 million in 2029, $2 million in 2030, and $2.2 million in 2031.
The first tier of the luxury tax would be set at $315 million in 2028, $330 million in 2029, $345 million in 2030, and $360 million in 2031.
The pre-arbitration bonus pool was a flat $50 million throughout the 2022-26 collective bargaining agreement. In addition to the initial $130 million increase, the union wants it to rise by $15 million each season.
There was no proposal to create an international draft, though players and owners made some conceptual progress in the last round of talks.
Under the MLBPA’s proposal, based on current payrolls, only the Yankees, Mets, and Dodgers would be above the CBT threshold, compared to the six teams currently over the $244 million threshold. Moreover, 13 teams would be subject to the Competitive Integrity Tax for having payrolls under $150 million.
“We appreciate the union making a set of proposals and we look forward to continuing the bargaining process and working towards solving the competitive balance problem our fans are telling us needs to be addressed. We understand their proposals are designed to benefit players. Unfortunately, they do not address and in fact exacerbate the competitive balance problem our fans are telling us we must address. The MLBPA’s proposal would reduce the amount transferred to lower-revenue Clubs, weaken the Competitive Balance Tax, and lead to even more payroll disparity than exists today. For example, under the Union’s proposal, the Dodgers would pay less in luxury tax payments, giving them an additional $70 million to spend on payroll.”
(Emphasis added.)
As expected, the league will continue to use the Dodgers as a shiny object to push for a hard salary cap.
Never mind that four of the six current division leaders (Milwaukee Brewers, Tampa Bay Rays, Cleveland Guardians, and Seattle Mariners) are revenue-sharing recipients. Never mind that, per Fangraphs, the teams with the second- (New York Mets), fourth- (Toronto Blue Jays), seventh- (Houston Astros), tenth- (Detroit Tigers), eleventh- (San Francisco Giants), twelfth-(Boston Red Sox), and fifteenth-highest (Anaheim Angels) payrolls are either below .500 and/or essentially running out the clock until it’s time to go to Cancun.
Why acknowledge both the record sale of the San Diego Padres and the ongoing clown show in Queens instantly counter the league’s arguments for a hard cap?
Echoes of 1994
Regardless, the league was expected to announce its opening gambit in negotiations the following day, much faster than in the last CBA negotiations, when the league waited until August to make its initial proposal. On May 28, the league obliged, proposing a hard salary cap for the first time since the infamous 1994-95 strike, leading to the first canceled World Series in 90 years.
Per Ronald Blum of The Associated Press:
[MLB’s] proposal would cap spending in 2027 at $245.3 million, with a salary floor of $171.2 million.
“Our salary cap and floor proposal levels the playing field while sharing baseball revenue with the players 50/50 as we grow the game together,” MLB spokesman Glen Caplin said in a statement. “Further, by sharing media revenue equally as part of our proposal, we can address another top fan concern of local TV blackouts.”
Management gave the union its latest plan during a bargaining session at the commissioner’s office, one day after the union made its economic proposal. Owners say a cap is needed to improve competitive balance and restrain the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets and other wealthy teams from assembling starrier rosters than their smaller-market brethren.
(Emphasis added.)
Under MLB’s proposal, using current payrolls, only nine teams would be in compliance using the proposed hard cap and floor: Houston Astros ($237 million), Chicago Cubs ($232 million), San Diego Padres ($209 million), Detroit Tigers ($207 million), San Francisco Giants ($201 million), Boston Red Sox ($196 million), Arizona Diamondbacks ($195 million), Texas Rangers ($187 million), and Anaheim Angels ($184 million).
Six teams would be above the hard cap, and 13 teams would be below the floor.
Update: Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Timesreported that the player benefits are included in MLB’s calculation, making the proposed hard cap $222 million.
In case you were wondering whether it was a coincidence that MLB singled out the Dodgers on May 27, one need only refer to the graphics included in their counter the following day, per ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez.
In case you were wondering how big a focal point the Dodgers would be in labor talks, here are some graphics sent by MLB to help make their case for a salary cap … pic.twitter.com/63aVizdfAE
Lastly, MLBPA interim Executive Director Bruce Meyer responded to MLB’s opening gambit, displayed in part below:
Caps don’t lower ticket prices for fans, eliminate tanking or ensure teams are run with equal competence. They suffocate competition by offering owners an all-purpose excuse for inaction and mediocrity.
Baseball is experiencing unprecedented momentum and owners are enjoying record viewership, revenues and franchise values. Billionaire owners are not seeking to cap their profits or asset values, only player salaries. This isn’t out of generosity or a desire to protect the game’s well-being. It’s a play to control costs, increase profits and maximize franchise values – all at the expense of players past, present and future.
Also, per the AP, MLB’s last salary cap proposal in 1994 offered players a 50-50 split of revenue in a system that would have forced teams to maintain payrolls of 84-110% of the average. Salary arbitration would have been eliminated, and the threshold for free agency would have been lowered from six years’ major league service to four, with the provision that a player’s former club could match any offer until he had six years.
MLB’s offer came on June 14, 1994; players struck on August 12, 1994, and on September 14, 1994, the ‘94 World Series was canceled. Ultimately, MLB withdrew the cap proposal on February 6, 1995, after pressure from the National Labor Relations Board.
The strike ended on March 31, 1995, after then-U.S. District Judge Sonia Sotomayor (yes, that Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor) issued an injunction restoring the work rules of the expired labor contract.
Two days later, the owners accepted the union’s offer to return to work without an agreement, and a deal wasn’t reached until 1997, causing reputational damage to the sport that arguably lasted until the steroid boom, punctuated by Mark McGuire and Sammy Sosa’s 1998 duel to break Roger Maris’ then-record of 61 home runs in a single season.
Rather than repeat previously published work, which can speak for itself, for the convenience of either reporter or reader, all five revival “It’s Not My Money(ball)” articles are collated below. This collective body of work, all 13,764 words of it, covers an assortment of relevant topics likely to arise during the new CBA negotiations, in one form or another.
This process will undoubtedly be a slow one over the next six months, largely occurring in the background. In conclusion to this brief update, it is worth repeating that there is no reason for a lockout to occur. But as with most things, some lessons need to be relearned, even when there is no value to the lesson.
As shown during the aftermath of the 1994-95 strike, the parties could choose to keep the current system in place while a new CBA is negotiated and ratified — if the goal was stability. If the goal was disruption and chaos disguised to grow balance sheets that the public will never see, then locking out the players at the earliest opportunity would seem to be the only move in the league’s pocket, apart from turning the public against the players.
The quickest way to do that gargantuan task is to keep using the Dodgers as a foil to why your team is doomed to be bad; never mind the moronic decisions arising from front offices ranging from San Francisco to Queens and points in between.
The Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers wrap up an eventful four-game series tonight with an intriguing pitching matchup, as Spencer Arrighetti takes on Nathan Eovaldi.
The Rangers are -122 moneyline favorites, and my Astros vs. Rangers predictions and MLB picks for Thursday, May 28 see value in that line.
Who will win Astros vs Rangers today: Rangers moneyline (-133)
Spencer Arrighetti's sensational start to 2026 is mostly smoke-and-mirrors, creating value in the Texas Rangers moneyline. I'd play it to -145.
The Houston Astros hurler's 1.32 ERA is belied by his 4.78 xERA,which ranks in the 26th percentile. He's not inducing enough batters to chase (29th percentile), leading to his eighth percentile walk rate.
Once Arrighetti exits, an Astros bullpen ranked 29th in xFIP over the last two weeks (4.99) will take over.
The Rangers are not an offensive dynamo (.687 OPS), but they're at least on the improve over the last two weeks with a .702 OPS.
Astros vs Rangers Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (-115)
There's a low total on the board here, and it's easy to see why.
Countering Arrighetti is Nathan Eovaldi, who has been elite in several metrics this year, including whiff rate (90th percentile) and walk rate (91st percentile). Backing him is a Texas bullpen ranked 10th in xFIP over the last two weeks (3.90).
The Astros' offense is in a funk right now, ranking 28th in batting average since May 14 (.208).
The Rangers, who were no-hit just two days ago, do not have the firepower to carry the Over by themselves.
I'm comfortable with Under 7.5 at -125, as well as Under 7 at +100.
Astros vs Rangers odds
Moneyline: Astros +117 | Rangers -122
Run line: Astros +1.5 | Rangers -1.5
Over/Under: Over 7.5 | Under 7.5
Astros vs Rangers trend
The Rangers have hit the Under in 28 of their last 50 games (+8.50 Units / 16% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Astros vs. Rangers.
How to watch Astros vs Rangers and game info
Location
Globe Life Field, Arlington, TX
Date
Thursday, May 28, 2026
First pitch
8:05 p.m. ET
TV
SCHN, RSN
Astros starting pitcher
Spencer Arrighetti (6-1, 1.32 ERA)
Rangers starting pitcher
Nathan Eovaldi (5-5, 3.65 ERA)
Astros vs Rangers latest injuries
Astros vs Rangers weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
BOSTON, MA - MAY 27: Ronald Acuña Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves looks on from the dugout during the game between the Atlanta Braves and the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Wednesday, May 27, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Joe Sullivan/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Much has been written and said in recent days about the Montreal Canadiens needing to shoot more in their Eastern Conference Final against the Carolina Hurricanes. After Game 3, coach Martin St-Louis admitted that his team needed to generate a higher volume of shots after spending the season brushing aside concerns over the lack of shots. While we weren’t in the video room with the team on Tuesday, there’s no doubt that St-Louis told his men that they needed to shoot more. Then, on Wednesday night, 21,000 people told them as well when they replaced the traditional “Go Habs Go” chant with an annoyed: “Shoot the puck!”
The problem, however, is that something else needs to be fixed before the Canadiens can take more shots: they need to get out of their own zone. When the puck dropped on Game 4, play immediately went in the Canadiens’ zone, and the Hurricanes started to control play. When the Habs got the puck back, be it on a rebound or by intercepting a pass, they were unable to do anything with it, aside from turning it over most of the time.
How many attempted lob clearances have we seen in this series? Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, and Jake Evans have all attempted that kind of play and failed to execute it. Even worse, there are times when the Habs don’t even get the opportunity to miss that play because by the time they’ve decided what they want to do with the puck, they’ve had their pocket picked.
If you can’t exit the zone, it will be hard to get more shots on net. We’ve often heard that when a player has reached his ceiling, the game slows down for him and he can make the right reads and decisions in seconds. At times this season, it genuinely looked like the game had slowed down for the Canadiens’ top line, but not in these playoffs. If anything, it looks like the Hurricanes are playing at ludicrous speed, yes, the same speed spaceships can reach in Spaceballs.
What’s the solution? There may not be one right now. The Canadiens are in the fourth year of their rebuild, and they’ve yet to reach the Hurricanes’ level of experience and dedication to their system. Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton’s job is not done yet, far from it. Martin St-Louis is doing what he can with the roster he has, but he cannot get on the ice himself. It’s up to the players to execute, and the fact is that there are still key pieces missing in the puzzle. As for the pieces that are already there, they appear to be running on empty.
Last season in the playoffs, the Canadiens learned from the Washington Capitals that the postseason is physically demanding, and you need to be ready to be hit. This time around, the Canadiens are watching an execution clinic. Carolina is just so good at executing their game plan that the Canadiens are watching the train go by. If the series is to end in five games on Friday night, though, the Habs will still be able to hold their heads high; they’ve learned a lot this postseason. They’ve learned to play with incredibly high stakes, and they've closed two series in Game 7, which is priceless. Down the line, all that experience will come in handy, even if the players are hurting right now.
The Pros And Cons Of Maple Leafs Trading Either Joseph Woll Or Anthony StolarzThe Toronto Maple Leafs could have a surplus in the crease next season. If GM John Chayka considered it, what are the pros and cons of trading away either Joseph Woll or Anthony Stolarz?
Maple Leafs Reportedly Listening To Calls On No. 1 Pick, But Likelyhood Of Moving It Is SlimWhile new Maple Leafs GM John Chayka is taking calls on the No. 1 draft pick, moving it would require an overwhelming offer.
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COVERS INTEL: Eovalidi is in the 