J.D. Martinez understands the solution to the perceived free-agent problem:

“We just gotta go to the drawing board,” Martinez said. “The Players Association comes, sits down with the CBA, and we gotta figure out how we’re going to counter it. The game has to change. We have to incentivize to win, not to lose.”

Boston.com

This has been the problem since the start of revenue sharing. Teams that use their money effectively should be rewarded. Wins are tangible. Attendance is tangible. Spending on improving the team is nebulous, since teams can spend it on international signings or improved minor league facilities, which may not pay off for years.

Couple that with moving salary to younger players through a higher minimum and quicker free agency, and I bet most of these perceived problems go away.