After almost 100 days of long, grueling negotiations between MLB and the Players Association, the lockout is officially over: Baseball is back!
MLB insider Jeff Passan, who had his Twitter account kidnapped for a while on Thursday, reported the good news.
“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,” he said in a fitting “welcome back to my account” message.
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 owners didn’t always negotiate in good faith for most of the winter and part of the spring, but they came close enough in the last 48 hours that most of the players’ representatives in the union accepted their last offer.
MLB Owners Finally Negotiated In Good Faith
The details of the agreement are still not known, but the owners’ last offer had the minimum salary starting at $700,000, the competitive balance tax (CBT) thresholds starting at $230 million in 2022 and ending at $244 million in 2026; and the pre-arbitration bonus pool for outstanding players at $50 million.
The Players Association’s executive board was reportedly against the deal, with uber-agent Scott Boras representing five of the eight members, but most of the 30 team representatives voted in favor of the deal.
At long last, teams will start (or resume, if we want to use a more appropriate word) planning for the 2022 season, which is expected to have 162 games if both sides can fit in some doubleheaders and use some days off.
Free agency will start within the next few hours, and from now on, no more meetings, bargaining, or failed offers: baseball, ladies and gentlemen, is back.
NEXT: Top MLB Stars Still Not In Favor Of Accepting A Deal
