:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70566867/1369787105.0.jpg)
March 10 update — Baseball is back! MLB and MLBPA have reached an agreement for the 2022 season, although the deal still has to be formally signed. Opening Day is expected to happen April 7, per Jeff Passan and Jesse Rogers.
Players can report to spring-training camps as early as tomorrow. Opening Day is expected to be April 7, as @JesseRogersESPN first reported. Transactions unfreeze upon ratification, which is expected to come as early as today, meaning free agents can sign and trades can occur.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 10, 2022
March 9 update - MLB has postponed Opening Day until April 14, meaning there will be no baseball in March. This is only the first official date of postponement and there’s no guarantee the season will start on that date.
MLB has postponed Opening Day until at least April 14
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) March 9, 2022
Update — There’s momentum for the MLB and player’s union resume discussions on a CBA, and there will be several topics to still work through. An expanded postseason field would be cool for the sport, but it’s likely a lesser issue than some financial things the union is looking for.
Sources: As the two sides look to jump-start the CBA talks, the union has approached MLB with an offer to re-open talks on the 14-team postseason field, with the idea it can exchange this for more flexibility on the CBT numbers and other issues.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) March 4, 2022
Update — MLB commissioner Rob Manfred announced after 5 p.m. ET that Opening Day has been postponed from the March 31 set date.
The MLB and MLB Players’ Association were unable to reach an agreement before the 5 p.m. ET deadline on Tuesday, March 1, per ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Now the MLB is threatening to cancel the March 31 Opening Day date and it’s unlikely the season will begin on time after this latest development.
BREAKING: MLBPA player leaders agreed unanimously not to accept MLB's final proposal, and there will be no deal on a new collective-bargaining agreement before MLB's 5 p.m. ET deadline, sources tell ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 1, 2022
MLB has threatened to cancel its March 31 Opening Day without a new deal.
This is pretty upsetting news and things appear to have gotten worse. The players are leaving Florida, where all these meetings are being held, entirely. There was some optimism late Monday night that the two sides were going to be able to work out a deal on Tuesday before the deadline. The original deadline was on Monday but was pushed back by the League.
BREAKING: MLB players reject best, final offer from owners. If owners and commissioner Rob Manfred now follow through on their stated threat, Opening Day 2022 will be delayed, and some number of games in the regular season canceled. Players contingent is leaving Florida.
— Evan Drellich (@EvanDrellich) March 1, 2022
At this point, we’re definitely going to lose regular-season games in 2022. A late start to the season isn’t the end of the world, but the way both sides are going, this could get dragged out longer than we think. If that’s the case, a shortened season could affect fantasy baseball, free agency and the betting markets.