The players union has accumulated $519M in reserves—the highest level on record. That cash cushion matters because MLB's next CBA negotiation is 2026, and the union is signaling it can sustain a work stoppage if ownership doesn't move on salary floors, revenue sharing, or arbitration thresholds. The 2022 lockout cost players roughly $230M in lost wages. This time, the union has the firepower to hold out longer and push harder. Ownership knows it. That's why the negotiation temperature will spike the moment talks begin.