MLB free agency was interrupted in early December, because of the looming lockout.
Teams, players, and agents knew it, and that’s why they all rushed to get deals done before that date.
Now, with the lockout, teams are not allowed to make transactions, sign free agents, or execute trades until it’s lifted.
The owners implemented it, allegedly as a means to pressure players into negotiating a deal.
That’s why, when the lockout is finally lifted, we may be in for a crazy period in which the teams that haven’t finished their rosters will move quickly to prevent other teams to beat them for their specific targets.
“The week after the lockout is officially lifted is gonna be the craziest week of trades and signings in MLB history and we all deserve it when it comes,” a writer who covers the San Diego Padres said.
The week after the lockout is officially lifted is gonna be the craziest week of trades and signings in MLB history and we all deserve it when it comes.
— Nostradamus (@FriarBad) February 17, 2022
And he’s absolutely, 100 percent right: after months of uncertainty and a bad taste in everybody’s mouths, fans deserve that thrill, that final sprint before the season starts.
The Season Start Could Be Delayed
Pitchers and catchers should have reported to camp by now if there wasn’t a lockout, so it may be just a week until the start of the regular season is officially delayed.
Fans have been punished long enough, so they not only deserve to know exactly when the season will start, but they have also earned that crazy free agency period.
Most stars have already signed before the lockout, but there are lots of good players without a home: Carlos Correa, Trevor Story, Kris Bryant, Clayton Kershaw, Michael Conforto, Nick Castellanos, and Carlos Rodon, for example, are still free.
There will be trades, too.
It’s something that fans are definitely thinking about when the lockout ends.
NEXT: MLB And The Players Had A Shockingly Short Meeting Thursday