Amateur bonus pools are less tied to win-loss records; teams no longer surrender a first-round draft pick to sign a top free agent; and the "soft" cap created by increased luxury-tax penalties could prevent outlier spenders at the very top of the payroll scales. The tax threshold will not rise as high as some in the game anticipated. It will climb from $189 million in 2016 to $206 million in 2019. The Phillies have the financial wherewithal to reach those levels. The other big-market teams like the Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers, and Cubs could be compelled to stay within the same constraints.