One phrase lies prominently within every baseball fan’s mind right now: play ball!
After one hundred days of a lockout, Major League Baseball owners and the Players Association finally came to an agreement regarding the collective bargaining agreement, which involves various aspects of the baseball season and structure. Alas, the lockout is now over, and baseball will be played in 2022.
After MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred originally canceled the first two series of the regular season on March 1, citing a failure to reach an agreement, this decision was officially reversed last night, March 10, when the two sides came to an agreement late in the afternoon after weeks of intense negotiations, and it was determined that the lost games could be made up later in the season.
“We have an amazingly talented group, and we need to get that amazingly talented group of players out in front of our fans,” Manfred said during a press conference following the news. “We do need to make changes on the field. I’ve been very outspoken about that. I think the best thing about this agreement is the opportunity for us to do that. The game is poised to take a step forward on a variety of fronts.”
28 of the 36 union representatives voted in favor of the new CBA, which is set to run for the next five seasons and expire in 2027. Meanwhile, all thirty owners voted unanimously in agreement of the new CBA, officially marking an end to the dreary lockout.
BREAKING: Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association have reached a tentative agreement on a new labor deal, sources tell ESPN. While it still needs to be ratified by both parties, that is expected to be a formality, and when it is:
Baseball is back.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 10, 2022
The new agreement adds a plethora of changes to the league and the game itself. This season will see a 12-team postseason as compared to the previous 10, a universal designated hitter, a draft lottery for the six lowest teams, and the minimum player salary will increase 23% from last year to $700,000, and then to $780,000 in 2026.
Next season, starting in 2023, the league will see an improved scheduling system in which all teams play each other at least once a year (currently, interleague teams only play each other every three seasons). It will also see the implementation of a pitch clock and larger bases.
With this agreement, free agency has officially kicked in, and now it is a race against the clock for team General Managers to sign the over 300 free agent players still out there. Spring Training officially begins today, March 11, and players are expected to report by Sunday. Opening Day will commence on April 7, ushering in a new era for baseball.
What do you think of the lockout ending, and baseball officially happening in 2022? Let us know, by either leaving a reaction below or by sending us a tweet at @celebsecrets.
