BASEBALL: Ohtani tops Forbes' MLB rich list as revenues soar, labor tensions loom

Japan's Shohei Ohtani is leading baseball’s richest players, according to Forbes figures published Tuesday, as Major League Baseball heads into a new season marked by global growth and rising labor tensions.

The Los Angeles Dodgers superstar is projected to earn $127 million in 2026, driven by an unprecedented $125 million in off-field income—the highest endorsement total ever for an active athlete since Conor McGregor in 2021, Forbes reported.

Ohtani’s off-field earnings alone are more than six times the combined total of the other nine players on the list, highlighting his unmatched global appeal. Overall, the top 10 players are set to earn a record $144 million off the field, up 20% from last year and nearly nine times higher than four years ago, reflecting the rapid growth of baseball’s commercial landscape.

The list also shows the dominance of baseball’s biggest spenders. Cody Bellinger ranks second at $56.5 million with the New York Yankees, while Bo Bichette is sixth at $42.4 million after joining the New York Mets. The six highest-paid players all belong to the Los Angeles Dodgers, Yankees, or Mets.

Labor Concerns Loom

Despite the surge in revenues and player pay, tensions are rising between owners and players. The current collective bargaining agreement is set to expire on Dec. 1, raising the possibility of contentious negotiations.

Some owners have proposed a salary cap, which players strongly oppose, increasing the risk of a labor dispute that could disrupt the 2027 season.

"If the owners are dead set on a salary cap and they will accept nothing else, then I think that'll eventually happen, but we'll miss at least one full season of baseball," said Michael Haupert, an economics professor at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, in Forbes.

Haupert added that owners could offer higher minimum salaries and better minor league pay in exchange for cost controls, potentially shifting earnings away from top athletes.

Former players have warned that a lockout or strike could halt the sport’s momentum, while union officials note that a lost 2027 season could also prevent players from participating in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

-Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico City; Editing by Pritha Sarkar/Reuters