Planet Money How we got free agents in baseball
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May 6, 2026 A star center fielder is traded against his will and takes baseball to court. The story dives into the reserve clause, monopsony, and the league’s strange antitrust exemption. It follows a career-risking legal fight, a public relations battle, and the chain of events that finally opened the door to free agency.
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The 4 A.M. Trade That Triggered Curt Flood's Fight
- Curt Flood was awakened at 4 a.m. in 1969 and told the Cardinals had traded him to the Phillies, a team he did not want to join.
- Baseball's reserve clause meant he could report to Philadelphia or quit the sport, which pushed him toward a lawsuit.
The Reserve Clause Created A Labor Monopsony
- Baseball's reserve clause acted like a labor monopsony by making one team the only buyer of a player's work.
- Jacob Goldstein and Robert Smith compare it to Apple and Google drafting engineers and banning movement, which would obviously suppress pay.
Flood Sacrificed His Career For Future Players
- Flood knew suing baseball would likely end his career, but he still asked whether winning would help future players.
- When the union head said yes, Flood replied, that's good enough for me, and chose to proceed.