How Potential MLB Salary Floor Would Massively Impact Marlins Payroll
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The Miami Marlins have done a great job of controlling costs going into the 2026 season.
Per Spotrac, the Marlins have a projected tax payroll of $78.1 million for 2026, the lowest payroll in baseball. Most of that is due to the large number of pre-arbitration players on the Major League roster. Miami has five free agents after the season and four more are arbitration eligible.
Beyond that? Well, who knows — especially with potential labor fraction coming this offseason. It seems inevitable. MLB owners seem to want a salary cap and floor, while players have made it clear they don’t. But what if baseball ends up with a salary cap and floor for the 2027 season? Well, that could have a huge impact on the Miami Marlins’ payroll.
Miami Marlins Payroll with a Salary Floor
Jon Heyman of The New York Post (subscription required) reported earlier this week that there are early estimates around what a cap and floor could look like. The cap could be around $260-$280 million while the floor could be between $140-$160 million. Underdog MLB posted the estimates on X (formerly Twitter).
The cap is unlikely to impact the Marlins. But the floor would have a serious impact. A salary floor would require every team to spend to that floor. If it’s $150 million, then the Marlins would have to spend that amount every day. That would require a massive jump in payroll.
With a $150 million salary floor in place, the Marlins would need to spend $71.9 million next season to meet the floor. With all the focus on a salary cap — designed to rein in high-spending teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees — a salary floor is getting much less discussion. But a floor would impact every Major League team that is pinching pennies.
Would the Marlins spend that money on current players? It’s hard to say. What will the team control and arbitration system look like under a new collective bargaining agreement? Until that’s determined, Miami couldn’t be sure how much money to spend on a Sandy Alcantara, especially if the Marlins wanted to extend him at current market value.
Doubling the payroll would also put the Marlins in the market for higher priced free agents next offseason. Miami spent $13 million on pitcher Pete Fairbanks, the only eight-figure free agent deal the franchise handed out this offseason. The Marlins signed Christopher Morel to a one-year deal worth $2 million.
