WAR has a set salary cap maximum for every team. It is a hard cap and it is the same for each team.
Some teams will inherit initial rosters exceeding league cap guidelines. These teams will have players who will have a portion of his salary be exempt.
The number of exempt players as well as what portion of the salary is exempt will depend on how much money needs deferred in order to become cap compliant. Therefore the players and amounts are not pre determined and can vary not only year to year but week to week depending on trades.
Exempt players will be highlighted in red on the spreadsheet.
This exempt status is only for the original team. Should an exempt player be traded his salary will kick in full on the receiving teams payroll. Should an exempt player be released he will be treated like any other player release.
Contract cap penalties apply in full.
Buyout options work the same as a normal buyout and apply in full.
A player may be exempt for as long as it takes the team to become cap compliant.
Teams operating with exempt players MAY NOT BID MLB CONTRACTS FOR FREE AGENTS. However they may bid on prospects with all prospect rules applicable.
Any team no matter cap status may bid on prospects.
Teams over the cap will be allowed unlimited free drops until cap compliant. Once compliant exempt contracts are voided to regular status.
IE. Team A has a payroll of $200m ($50m over cap) they can drop players without penalty until at or under $150m. As long as Team A's cap is above league cap, any originally inherited player can be exempt to be cap compliant.
Once under league cap exempt no longer applies.
These are the teams over the initial league cap of $150m
1 Boston Red Sox $225,949,773
2 Chicago Cubs $210,359,504
3 New York Yankees $210,108,810
4 Los Angeles Dodgers $196,743,984
5 San Francisco Giants $177,619,862
6 Washington Nationals $164,612,895
7 St. Louis Cardinals $162,912,484
8 Houston Astros $161,197,778
9 New York Mets $160,596,806
10 Los Angeles Angels $158,990,862
11 Seattle Mariners $151,751,718
