An ongoing contract impasse has resulted in the cancellation of the start of the Major League Baseball season.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred confirmed Tuesday that the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) had unanimously rejected the league's latest contract offer before a 5 p.m. Eastern time deadline. The league has cancelled Opening Day, along with the first two series of the regular season.
"The calendar dictates that we're not going to be able to play the first two series of the regular season, and those games are officially cancelled," said Manfred as reported by ESPN.
In response, the MLBPA said all it is trying to do is promote fair play across the game.
"From the beginning of these negotiations, players' objectives have been consistent, to promote competition, provide fair compensation for young players, and to uphold the integrity of our market system," read a tweet from the MLBPA. "Against the backdrop of growing revenues and record profits, we are seeking nothing more than a fair agreement."
https://twitter.com/MLBPA_News/status/1498793611323977736
Already far apart on a variety of issues, the league locked out players immediately after the previous collective bargaining agreement expired on December 1, 2021. Negotiations had been ongoing, but without a contract, spring training cannot open, and transactions such as trades and free-agent signings may not take place.
ESPN reported that both sides were planning to review bargaining strategy and return to the table later this week, to come to an agreement and limit the impact on the regular season.
The league's most recent offer included an increase to $30-million for the pre-arbitration bonus pool, an increase in minimum ballplayer salaries from $675,000 to $700,000 per season, based on the potential of the postseason field being expanded to 12 teams and the creation of a five-team draft lottery.
The players' union had wanted $85-million to start in the bonus pool, and a $5-million increase for each year of the contract. The MLBPA also wanted competitive balance tax thresholds at $238-million for the first year of the new contract compared to the $220-million offered by the league for the first three years.
