Yeah, the fact that deferred contracts to this extremity were ever allowed is why MLB is a joke. The Dodgers being able to defer over a billion dollars in 2025 to pay players 15-20 years down the road should have never been allowed. I know everybody says "so what, any team can do it", but I don't think people understand how much easier it is to make money and be uber profitable in NYC and LA in comparison to Minnesota, Milwaukee, etc.
I honestly think the 2027 lockout might get a bit ugly. I think the bottom-tier teams will not want a salary floor because they have to spend more (when they know their team sucks) and the top teams (yankees, mets, dodgers) won't want a salary cap because they are able to outspend most other teams because of the markets they are located in. The MLBPA obviously wants their star players to continue to get contracts north of half a billion dollars. I know most people think it will only be a month or so, but I think we are looking at a long delay (like 2/3 of the season or longer).