For nine straight days, MLB and the Players Association met at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, FL., to discuss the details of the new collective bargaining agreement (CBA).
The league told players they needed to agree on a deal before Monday (later extended to Tuesday) in order to have a full, 162-game season.
There was no deal, as players rejected the league’s “best and final offer”.
Shortly after, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred cancelled the season’s first two series.
The meetings were declared over, at least in Jupiter, and there hasn’t been a bargaining session since Tuesday.
There was an unofficial encounter between the lead negotiators of both sides in New York on Thursday, but no proposals were exchanged.
Now, since the MLBPA rejected the league’s latest offer, it’s their turn to make a proposal.
“Union working on response to league’s last proposal, sources tell @TheAthletic. No further meetings currently scheduled, but expected soon,” The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal tweeted on Friday.
Union working on response to league’s last proposal, sources tell @TheAthletic. No further meetings currently scheduled, but expected soon.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) March 4, 2022
What Did The League Offer?
The league’s final offer was as follows: no changes to competitive balance tax (CBT) thresholds ($220 million in the first three years, $224 million in the fourth, and $230 million in the fifth), a $30 million pre-arbitration bonus pool, and a $700,000 minimum salary in 2022, moving up $10,000 yearly until reaching $740,000 in 2026.
The Players Association has stated it won’t accept anything lower than a $230 million CBT threshold in 2022, and considering that a handful of owners were angry that they even offered $220 million, it’s hard to envision a quick deal taking place.
From the look of things, the CBT appears to be the one element delaying a new CBA.
Both sides still have some talking to do, so for the sake of the season’s future, they better get back to the table soon.
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