Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association reportedly reached a tentative agreement on a new collective-bargaining agreement Thursday, ESPN reports.
Why it matters: The move will end MLB’s 99-day lockout of the players. It can also potentially bring back the 162-game MLB season in full.
Details: The deal includes a number of new changes to the league:
- There will be a 45-day window for MLB to add new rule changes, including a pitching clock, a ban on infield shifts and larger bases for the 2023 season, per ESPN.
- The National League will adopt the designated hitter rule.
- There will be a new draft lottery to discourage teams from tanking.
- There’s going to be a limit on how many times a player can be sent to the minors in one season.
What’s next: Spring training can open on Sunday.
- Free agents signing and trades can begin.
- In essence, “baseball will attempt to return to some semblance of normalcy after months of fraught negotiations,” per ESPN.
Flashback: MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred announced at the beginning of March that the league’s opening day would be moved and the two first regular-season series would be canceled after the MLBPA agreed not to accept MLB’s proposal for an agreement, per ABC News.
- Rob Manfred announced Wednesday night that another round of games would be canceled after the two sides failed to reach an agreement, per The New York Times.
What he said: “Because of the logistical realities of the calendar, another two series are being removed from the schedule, meaning that Opening Day is postponed until April 14th,” Manfred said in a statement, per The New York Times. “We worked hard to reach an agreement and offered a fair deal with significant improvements for the players and our fans. I am saddened by this situation’s continued impact on our game and all those who are a part of it, especially our loyal fans.”