Hundreds of MLB players are now in wait mode after the league and the union couldn’t reach a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) before Tuesday’s deadline.
The league had said that if there wasn’t a deal by Monday (later extended to Tuesday), they would cancel regular season games, and they did just that.
Shortly after yesterday’s 5:00 pm ET deadline, Commissioner Rob Manfred announced that the first two series of the season were already cancelled.
This is obviously not ideal for players, because they don’t get paid if they don’t play.
They had the chance to take the league’s last offer (with marginal improvements and nothing else) and secure their 2022 payday, but at the same time, if they did that, they would have compromised their future earnings potential by signing an unfavorable deal.
It’s in a lot of ways, sacrificing some of the present for a better future.
Players Are Now In Waiting Mode
Players, as a result, have no other choice but wait.
Some of them could pursue opportunities overseas, while others will stay in the United States hoping for a quick resolution.
One of many players left in limbo is star pitcher Yu Darvish.
At least he is already throwing from a mound, and that means he is well ahead in his spring throwing program.
It also means that he will probably be ready to go when the season finally starts.
He posted a short video of himself throwing, and said, “I’m ready.”
I’m ready💪 pic.twitter.com/ZZv7sqUp7W
— ダルビッシュ有(Yu Darvish) (@faridyu) March 1, 2022
Darvish remains one of the most talented pitchers in MLB.
After MLB decided to ban the use of foreign substances on the ball, he was a bit inconsistent, but he is aiming to prove in 2022 that he can shine without anything.
NEXT: Rob Manfred Did Not Seem Too Upset About Cancelling Games