Category: Sports

While one bettor took home $625k via PSG’s UCL title win, another lost more than double that amount. Patrick Everson has that and more.

The MLB All-Star Game is a star-studded event every season, but FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal thinks the 2026 Midsummer Classic could stand above the rest for one specific reason. “This could be maybe the greatest NL All-Star [pitching] staff assembled, maybe the greatest staff, period,” Rosenthal said, when talking with FOX Sports’ Kevin Burkhardt. “I’m not saying there’s going to be a no-hitter in the All-Star Game, but I’m not saying there won’t be either.” Fans hoping to be entertained by offense might be disappointed because the National League could roll out Cy Young winners, World Series champions, up-and-coming rising stars, a pair of pitchers who dominated in May and a strong bullpen. Here’s a look at Rosenthal’s predicted historic NL pitching staff. Former Cy Young Winners In his second MLB season, Skenes won the NL Cy Young Award. He led the league with a 1.97 ERA. His third season hasn’t been as dominant, but he still holds an MLB-best 6.25 strikeouts-to-walks rate. For Skenes to be seen as the third or fourth-best pitcher in the NL based off his 2026 stats speaks to the depth of the league. Sale won the NL Cy Young award in 2024, when he led the majors with a 2.38 ERA, and led the NL with 235 strikeouts. Still, in his age 37 season, Sale continues to be a step ahead of batters. Across 11 starts, he holds an 8-3 record with a 2.01 ERA. He could be in the running for his second CY Young award. Masters Of May The flamethrower holds a 6-2 record and a league’s-best 108 strikeouts over 12 starts during what will be his first full MLB season, barring injury. Through six starts in the month of May, Misiorowski took it up a notch. He posted a 0.23 ERA, struck out 57 batters and walked only six. Sanchez broke out last season to the tune of an MLB-best 8.1 wins above average metric. He’s built on that momentum in 2026, leading the majors with a 1.47 ERA. His production in the month of May has been unparalleled, as he tossed 41 consecutive scoreless innings, and set the Phillies’ organizational record of 44 ⅔ innings. That streak hasn’t been broken. World Series Winners Rosenthal isn’t sure Ohtani would pitch in the All-Star Game if selected as a pitcher, but he’s certainly earned that opportunity amid his first full season on the mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Over nine starts, he holds a 0.82 ERA and a 5-2 record. Yamamoto won the World Series MVP and might not even be the best pitcher on his team. Through 11 starts this season, he’s struck out 69 batters and holds a 2.86 ERA. MLB’s Next Generation Of Stars After earning a minor-league call-up toward the end of the 2025 season, Burns has broken onto the scene this year. He holds a 7-1 record, a 1.96 ERA, and has sat down 72 batters over 11 starts. The World Baseball Classic star projects to be one of the New York Mets’ best future players. He’s still searching for consistent form but holds an elite 27.9 strikeout percentage. Elder’s success was a big part of the Braves early-season rebound from a down 2025 season, especially as they’ve managed a slew of pitching injuries. He holds a career-best 2.50 ERA over 11 starts. Bullpen Of Stars It doesn’t get much better than Miller out of the pen. After moving to the NL when the San Diego Padres acquired him from the Athletics, he has constantly delivered. In 2026, Miller leads the league with 17 saves. He’s allowed just 10 hits and two earned runs in 24 appearances. Duran is another elite closer that went from the AL to the NL. He has 12 saves in 17 appearances during the 2026 season.

The 2026 Major League Baseball season is nearing the halfway point, with several teams emerging as surprising overachievers. But as the season heats up, there are plenty of bold predictions for the month ahead. With the season beginning to take shape across the league, analysts are starting to separate the contenders from the pretenders. During MLB on FOX, Eric Karros and Dontrelle Willis revealed their biggest surprises from May and their bold predictions for June. Biggest Surprises In May Chicago White Sox have been Karros’ biggest surprise over the past month. The White Sox entered June red-hot, sitting just one game behind the Cleveland Guardians in the American League Central with a 32-27 record after going 18-10 in May. “I’m going to the South Side of Chicago in the White Sox,” Karros said. “If the season ended right now, they would be a playoff team. I don’t think anybody thought that was going to happen. How are they doing it? The power has been crazy.” Chicago’s offense has been one of the biggest reasons behind its turnaround, consistently producing timely hits and home run power throughout May. Several young players have also stepped into bigger roles, helping the White Sox produce one of the more balanced lineups in baseball. Before his recent injury, Japanese sensation Munetaka Murakami has put together an impressive rookie season, batting .240 with 20 home runs, tied for the American League lead and second-most in all of Major League Baseball. “Obviously, you knew [Munetaka] Murakami was going to be absolutely outstanding once he got going with the home runs,” Karros said. “But [Miguel] Vargas has been unbelievable after being traded from the Dodgers a few years ago.” That young core has quickly become one of the driving forces behind Chicago’s surprising rise in the American League standings. “The energy you’re talking about with Chase Meidroth at second, [Colson] Montgomery at short with the youth of these guys,” Karros said. “The thing about it is, they’re confident. They’re starting to believe and they got a little bit of arrogance too and that could be dangerous.” When it comes to Willis’ biggest surprise, he pointed to the San Diego Padres’ more unconventional case. Despite underwhelming offensive numbers on the stat sheet, the Padres entered June with a 32-26 record. They sit just 5.5 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West while currently holding the top Wild Card spot. “For me, it’s the San Diego Padres,” Willis said. “Fernando Tatis hit his first home run a few days ago and Manny Machado is hitting .170. You would think if that happened, they’d be 10 games out of it right now. If the season ended, they’re in the postseason.” The strength of their supporting cast has allowed San Diego to stay afloat even while key stars have yet to fully find their rhythm at the plate. “The supporting cast has been absolutely phenomenal and that’s what’s scary about the San Diego Padres,” Willis said. “If they get two of those horses [Tatis and Machado] going in the right direction, it’s going to be scary hours in the West.” Bold Predictions For June After opening the season as one of baseball’s hottest teams, the Chicago Cubs hit a rough patch in May, finishing 13-16. They also dropped the Crosstown Classic to the Chicago White Sox during the month. Still, Willis remains confident in the Cubs, believing another winning streak could be on the horizon given their favorable upcoming schedule. “The Chicago Cubs are going to go on another win streak,” Willis said. “They have something favorable in their schedule. They have to play the A’s, Giants and the Rockies. They’re going to win a lot of ball games.” One of the biggest disappointments in baseball this season has been the Texas Rangers, who sit in third place in the American League West with a 28-32 record. Injuries have played a major role in their struggles, as they’ve had difficulty keeping their key players on the field. Even with those issues, Karros still views them as a team to watch once they get healthy and regain full strength. “I’m going to go to the Texas Rangers,” Karros said. “They’re going to get [Corey] Seager and [Wyatt] Langford back. Then you’ve got that pitching staff with [Jacob] deGrom and [Nathan] Eovaldi. I think Texas is going to be a problem for a lot of teams.” If the Rangers can piece things together down the stretch, Karros believes their talent still makes them a dangerous postseason match-up in any series. “If they get into the postseason, you don’t want to face those guys,” Karros said. “They’re going to get healthy. I like the Rangers.”

Marcus Rashford has taken his World Cup preparations to the United States, linking up with Inter Miami’s state-of-the-art facilities ahead of the tournament. The England international is getting a head start on his teammates by acclimatising to the Florida heat following specific instructions from Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel. Tuchel’s American acclimatisation plan The England forward arrived in the United States early after Tuchel called for his 26-man squad to holiday in American time zones before the tournament. Many players are understood to have spent the off-season in the States or Caribbean after Tuchel stressed the importance of acclimatising to the conditions that will define the upcoming World Cup. Weather is expected to be a major factor in the tournament, with studies showing that nearly a quarter of all World Cup games are likely to be played in temperatures higher than 26C. By heading to Florida, Rashford is ensuring he is physically prepared for the humidity, with Miami: Where football’s elite prepare to perform serving as the backdrop for his intensive individual sessions. Private drills and United connections Rashford flew into Florida and trained at David Beckham’s Inter Miami training complex with a private coach. The Barcelona winger shared a snap of his shooting practice, notably under the watchful eye of a coach dressed in Manchester United gear, suggesting he is maintaining close ties with his parent club despite his time away in Spain. Rashford has worked privately with United coach Colin Little since his breakthrough in 2016. Former non-league striker Little is now Darren Fletcher’s assistant for the Under-18s but has helped Rashford work on his finishing over the years. A transfer saga hanging in the balance While Rashford focuses on his fitness, his club future remains a significant talking point. He spent the last season on loan at Barcelona, where sporting director Barcelona are still trying to renegotiate Rashford’s £26m option to buy clause, despite splashing out £70m on former Newcastle winger Anthony Gordon. This financial hesitation has reportedly put Arsenal on red alert, with Mikel Arteta keen to bolster his attacking options. England’s preparation roadmap The majority of the England squad flew out to Miami on Monday for a pre-camp and two friendly matches against New Zealand and Costa Rica. England’s tournament training base is in Kansas City, Missouri, six hours behind UK time. Dallas, where Tuchel’s men face Croatia in their opening group game on 17 June, is also six hours behind BST. The other Group L matches against Ghana and Panama, played in Boston and New Jersey respectively, will be played in a time zone five hours behind the UK. European finalists Declan Rice, Noni Madueke, Eberechi Eze and Bukayo Saka and keeper Dean Henderson will join the rest of the squad at a later date as the Three Lions finalise their preparations.

Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has reiterated the club’s stance regarding the long-term future of head coach Luis Enrique.

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. New users on Polymarket can use promo code FOX to unlock a $50 trading bonus as the Stanley Cup Final and NBA Finals get underway. The Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes begin their battle for the Stanley Cup on Tuesday, while the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks tip off the NBA Finals on Wednesday. The Hurricanes are riding a historic postseason run. They only lost one game this postseason, reaching the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in 20 years. For the Golden Knights, they’re not new to this stage. They went to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2018 and 2023, winning in 2023. A similar story in the NBA Finals. The Knicks haven’t reached this stage since 1999 and have also had a historic postseason run, sweeping their last two playoff opponents. On the other side, the Spurs have been here before, but now there is a new era of Spurs basketball led by Victor Wembanyama. For new users looking to get involved, Polymarket promo code FOX unlocks a $50 trading bonus, giving you extra value to trade championship markets throughout both the Stanley Cup Final and NBA Finals. For more information and full terms and conditions, visit our Polymarket promo code page. How to Claim the Polymarket Promo with Code FOX Polymarket Odds *Odds/Probability are subject to change* VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS – Top Players & Team Stats Team Stats (Postseason Performance) Trend Note: Vegas is playing a lower-volume offensive style (29.0 SF/G) but still producing efficiently (3.22 GF/G). Recent games show a strong surge, winning 5 straight with tight defensive results against Colorado (multiple one-goal games). CAROLINA HURRICANES – Top Players & Team Stats Team Stats (Postseason Performance) Trend Note: Carolina is generating significantly higher shot volume (32.2 SF/G) while maintaining the better goal differential profile. Their last 5 games show dominant momentum (4 straight wins vs Montreal after a heavy loss), including multiple shutouts and OT wins. SAN ANTONIO SPURS – Top Players & Team Stats Team Stats (Season Performance) Trend Note: The Spurs have a strong offensive output (119.8 PPG), but defensive stability is the swing factor, especially in tighter playoff-style games where shot creation becomes more half-court dependent. NEW YORK KNICKS – Top Players & Team Stats Team Stats (Season Performance) Trend Note: New York is built on defensive control (100.6 points allowed) and efficient half-court scoring led by Brunson, with Towns and Anunoby providing strong two-way interior and wing production.

Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead hasn’t been shy about making big trades, but he might have made his biggest move yet on Monday. After very minimal buzz, the Rams landed two-time Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns for two-time Pro Bowler Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick and a 2029 third-round pick. It’s a historic trade in multiple regards. Garrett is the first reigning Defensive Player of the Year winner to be traded. As a result, the Rams will become the first team in NFL history to have the reigning MVP and Defensive Player of the Year recipients on the same team (excluding seasons when the same player won both awards). But where does the Rams’ trade for Garrett stack up against the most eye-opening deals in NFL history? Here’s our full top 10. After Randy Moss was moved to the New England Patriots, his career found a second wind. He developed a special connection with Tom Brady and surpassed the 1,000-receiving yards mark each season. In 2007, he posted a career-high 1,493 yards and 23 touchdowns, the most by a receiver in a single season. Despite the individual success, Moss wasn’t a part of New England’s Super Bowl-winning teams. A historical theory was tested with this trade: can a team be successful with a high-powered, high-paid running back? The Carolina Panthers felt they couldn’t be, dealing Christian McCaffrey to the San Francisco 49ers in 2022 during their fourth straight losing season. Since then, the 49ers have proved the opposite. In McCaffrey’s first season, San Francisco went to the NFC Championship. The following year, he led the NFL with 1,459 yards and 14 touchdowns and the 49ers reached the Super Bowl. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers traded a struggling Steve Young to San Francisco, where he resurrected his career. After spelling Joe Montana for four seasons, Young became the 49ers’ starter and led them to a Super Bowl victory in 1995. He also won the MVP in 1992 and 1994. Just one season after drafting Brett Favre in the second round of the NFL Draft, the Atlanta Falcons shipped him to the Green Bay Packers. This was a decision Atlanta would come to regret as Favre went on to lead Green Bay to a Super Bowl victory in 1997. He also won the MVP award in three straight seasons between 1995-1997, becoming the only player in league history to do that. Many view the Matthew Stafford for Jared Goff deal as a win-win. The Rams lost the Super Bowl in 2018 before missing the playoffs the next season and losing in the divisional round in the following year. So, in order to capitalize on a win-now window, they moved the younger Goff for the wily veteran Stafford. In his first season with the Los Angeles Rams, Stafford led the team to a Super Bowl title. While the deal instantly paid off for the Rams, it took a few seasons for the Detroit Lions. The Lions rebuilt around Goff as the city fell in love with the culture-setting quarterback. In 2025, they put it all together, going 15-2 as Goff threw for a career-high 4,629 yards and 37 touchdowns. The Rams are still reaping the rewards of the trade as well, with Stafford winning MVP in 2025. While there were rumors about the Dallas Cowboys sending Parsons to the Packers, it was shocking when it actually happened. The Cowboys opted to trade Parsons a week before the start of the 2025 regular season, significantly diminishing their defense for two first-round picks. The Packers got a boost by having Parsons on their roster in 2025, logging 12.5 sacks in 14 games before tearing his ACL. Dallas, meanwhile, used one of the first-round picks on UCF edge rusher Malachi Lawrence in the 2026 draft. The other pick they acquired from the Packers allowed them to trade for New York Jets star defensive tackle Quinnen Williams in the middle of the 2025 season. Eric Dickerson’s first couple of seasons with the Indianapolis Colts were successful. After winning Offensive Player of the Year in 1986, Dickerson was traded for several picks and players, including three first-round picks. Dickerson ran for 1,011 yards in nine games after joining Indianapolis in 1987 before rushing for 1,659 yards and 14 touchdowns in 1987. But after that, his career started to trickle off as he only made one more Pro Bowl. The Colts were unwilling to pay Marshall Faulk, so they shipped him to the St. Louis Rams for a pair of draft picks. It was a huge win for the Rams, who won the Super Bowl in Faulk’s first season. During that year, Faulk rushed for 1,381 yards at a career-high 5.5 yards per rush clip. The following season (2000), he won the NFL’s Most Valuable Player Award. The Rams made another massive deal on Monday to earn themselves another spot on this list. They acquired Garrett for not only three draft picks (including a first-round selection), but they also gave up Pro Bowl edge rusher Jared Verse. That’s the price of acquiring a two-time Defensive Player of the Year in the midst of their prime, though, as Garrett also set the single-season record for sacks (23) in 2025. On top of the deal for Garrett, this marked the second trade the Rams made in which they traded a first-round pick for a star player. They gave up multiple picks in order to get All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie from the Kansas City Chiefs. Before the Micah Parsons trade, the Cowboys made another significant deal in which they traded a star player for picks. In this instance, Dallas traded Pro Bowl running back Herschel Walker for a haul of players and picks that ultimately set them up to win the Super Bowl in 1992, 1993 and 1995. The most significant piece came in the form of another running back, Emmitt Smith, whom the Cowboys drafted in 1990. Meanwhile, in Minnesota, Walker didn’t surpass the 1,000-yard rushing mark in any of his seasons there. Check out all of our Daily Rankers.

Former Inter Miami midfielder Benjamin Cremaschi has reportedly made his Parma move permanent, after the Serie A club picked up his buy option for just under $5 million. The American made nine appearances for the Italian side before suffering a season-ending meniscus injury in March. His permanent departure would seem to open roster flexibility for the Herons. Picking up a cheap option After much speculation, Cremaschi will make his stay in Italy permanent, as the Serie A club have picked up the €4 million clause to extend the loan deal – initially agreed in September 2025. The American, who came out of Inter Miami’s academy system, was named U.S. Young Player of the Year last season, and has three senior caps to his name. The news was first reported by Fabrizio Romano. A difficult start to life at Parma Still, Cremaschi has had relatively few opportunities to prove himself in a Parma shirt. After moving to Italy when the Herons picked up Argentine midfielder Rodrigo De Paul, the American struggled for form and fitness. He made his debut in October, but played sparingly before sustaining a season ending knee injury in March. Forcing his way out of Miami Cremaschi always looked rather unlikely to return to the Herons’ setup, after being openly critical of then-manager Javier Mascherano’s tactics. Typically a central midfielder, Cremaschi was utilized all over the pitch – and saw his playing time limited. He made his feelings on that clear. “I’m frustrated, I want to play,” Cremaschi told last August. “I think the most important thing for me is to be at a very high level, and to get there, I need minutes and experience. I’ve played very little in these recent games, and I don’t think it’s because of my level.” Miami sent him out on loan soon after. Miami with roster flexibility? Cremaschi’s permanent departure would seem to benefit the Herons in their lofty transfer ambitions. They have been linked with former Manchester United midfielder Casemiro, who is currently without a club. With one less midfielder, and an extra roster slot to play with, the Herons seem set to make yet another big name signing.

Only eight nations have ever won the men’s FIFA World Cup since the tournament began in 1930, which is what makes the “First Time Winner” betting market one of the more fascinating props on the board heading into this summer. Brazil leads all nations with five World Cup titles, while Germany and Italy each have four. Argentina has won three, France and Uruguay have two apiece, and England and Spain each have one title. However, Italy failed to qualify, meaning only seven previous champions are in this year’s field. That leaves 41 nations with a chance to become a first-time World Cup winner. Let’s check out the latest “First Time Winner” odds at DraftKings Sportsbook as of May 27. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. Will there be a First Time Winner? Yes: +200 (bet $10 to win $30 total)No: -280 (bet $10 to win $13.57 total) These odds show just how difficult it historically has been for new nations to break through at a World Cup. The last nation to become a first-time FIFA World Cup champion was Spain in 2010. Additionally, in the last 11 World Cups dating back to 1982, there have only been two first-time winners. However, this summer could be different. The expanded 48-team format in 2026 could create more volatility than ever before, especially with more nations (32) advancing into the knockout stage. Unlike in years past, when a team only needed four knockout victories to win the World Cup, the expanded format demands a much tougher road of five consecutive single-elimination wins and eight total matches to lift the trophy. Several countries near the top of the oddsboard are still chasing their first-ever title. Portugal, currently listed at +1000, has the shortest odds among nations that have never won a World Cup. The Netherlands sits just behind Portugal at +2000, while Norway (+3000), Belgium (+3500), Colombia (+4000) and Morocco (+5000) round out the next tier of nations still searching for their first World Cup title. The U.S. men’s national team currently has the seventh-shortest odds among non-World Cup winners to lift the trophy in 2026, at +6000. On their home soil, could the USA shock the world and become the ninth nation to win a FIFA World Cup?

The head of the baseball players’ association insisted his union will fight management’s salary cap proposal as long as it takes as negotiations proceed with the threat of a lockout that could cancel games next season. Major League Baseball proposed a salary cap last week and appears set to start a lockout after the current labor contract expires Dec. 1. “Our union has never been broken and never will be,” interim executive director Bruce Meyer said Monday during an online news question-and-answer session with reporters. “Our players have what they have, including being the only sport that doesn’t have this ultimate restriction, the salary cap, because our players have always been the most unified and that’s going to continue.” Baseball has had nine work stoppages since 1972, the last a 99-day lockout that slightly delayed the 2022 season. Regular-season games have not been lost since a 7 1/2-month strike in 1994-95, the last time MLB proposed a cap. The NFL has had a cap since 1994, the NBA since 1984-85 and the NHL since 2005-06. “The unions in the other sports didn’t agree to salary-cap systems because they thought it was a good thing for players. That’s not what happened,” Meyer said. “In one way or the other, they were not able to fight the way that our union has and not criticizing anybody, it’s just a fact. Our union has always been the most solid, and that’s why our union has the best system.” Negotiators have not scheduled the next bargaining session. The union last week proposed expanded free agency and salary arbitration rights along with almost doubling the major league minimum and increasing revenue sharing. MLB’s proposal last Thursday would cap team spending in 2027 at $245.3 million, using figures for luxury tax payrolls that include $20.1 million for benefits and the pre-arbitration bonus pool. It also would establish a payroll floor of $171.2 million, forcing some teams to spend more. The Los Angeles Dodgers, baseball’s biggest spenders, had a $415.2 million payroll on opening day this year — around $170 million over the proposed cap. “Our salary cap and floor proposal addresses our fans’ concerns by leveling the playing field while sharing baseball revenue with the players 50/50 like the other leagues,” MLB spokesman Glen Caplin said in a statement. “Our salary cap and floor proposal addresses our fans’ concerns by leveling the playing field while sharing baseball revenue with the players 50/50 like the other leagues. Under our proposal, major league players will receive more compensation in year one of the system than in 2026.” Los Angeles shattered MLB’s spending record with a combined $515 million in payroll and luxury tax last year en route to its second straight World Series title. Los Angeles’ total was seven times the $68.7 million payroll of Miami, the lowest-spending team, and more than the payrolls of the bottom six clubs combined. Meyer likened a cap to “Big Brother” telling a team it can’t sign a player it wants to. “At a time of exploding popularity, growth and interest, the owners’ goal is more money in the pockets of owners,” he said. “Don’t blame them for that, but that’s what it is. Whether it’s more in profits because they’re holding down labor costs or growing their franchise values.” Meyer dismissed MLB’s contention that payroll disparity causes fans of lower-spending teams to lose hope. No small-market team has won the World Series since the 2015 Kansas City Royals. “We do not accept the premise that there’s some existential crisis going on,” he said. “People are still lining up to buy these teams, to get in whether as a minority investor or otherwise and that’s because the sport is extremely healthy.” He pointed out lower-payroll teams do reach the 12-team playoffs and Cincinnati got in last year while the New York Mets did not. Six postseason teams had payrolls above $200 million last year and MLB emphasizes high-spending teams usually dominate the later rounds. “We don’t want money to be taken away from teams that want to spend it and give it to teams that don’t want to spend it,” Meyer said. “We want to encourage more San Diegos. San Diego is a small-market team that went out, decided to compete, signed a lot of players, turned around their franchise.” MLB’s proposal calls for a 50-50 split with players of defined revenue, including for players spending on signing bonuses for players from high school and college, and international amateurs agreeing to initial contracts. “It’s not even a real 50%. It’s taking billions of dollars off the top before they’re proposing to even share any of that,” Meyer said. “Players’ share under their proposal would go down. Players’ share for this season, 2026, is projected to be well over 50%. … Had MLB’s proposal been in place in 2026, players would, we estimate — would lose over half a billion dollars.” He faulted MLB for how it defined revenue and spending. “Their proposal of course excludes things like expansion fees, franchise values, the place where they make their most money,” he said. “Their proposal deducts billions of dollars in expenses … so it’s not even a real 50%.” “They’ve effectively managed to cobble together the worst system for players in any of the major sports, and not even close,” Meyer added. Players contracts this year, using average annual values and including benefits and the pre-arbitration bonus pool, total $6.14 billion, according to MLB’s opening-day figures. Slot values signing bonuses in this year’s amateur draft come to about $359 million and international signing bonus pools to $208 million. Under MLB’s proposal, there would be an escrow system in which players would have money withheld in the event their share of revenue rises above the specified amount. They would get more money if their share falls short. “If revenues are soft or they go down, then that means players at the end of the day won’t get the guaranteed money,” he said. Meyer also said some teams heighten disparity by not spending on players. “Every team now has the ability to put a competitive team on the field, every single team,” he said. “One of the things that I find kind of ironic in a perverse way, if team X decides we’re not going to spend money on players, well that increases the disparity in payroll.” Reporting by the Associated Press.