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MLB and players agree to a new labor contract, paving the way to a full 2022 season

By: Jonathan Franklin | NPR
Posted on: Thursday, March 10, 2022

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Updated March 10, 2022 at 4:48 PM ET

WASHINGTON, D.C. (NPR) — Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association have reached a tentative agreement Thursday on a new collective bargaining agreement — paving the way for baseball’s return on April 7.

San Diego Padres left fielder Allen Cordoba passes a logo for Play Ball, an initiative from Major League Baseball and USA Baseball, during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies in 2017 in San Diego. Players voted Thursday to accept MLB’s offer on new labor deal, paving way to end 99-day lockout and salvage 162-game season. [Gregory Bull | AP]

The new collective bargaining agreement must be approved by both sides before it becomes official, according to MLB.com.

If that happens, the three-month lockout will be lifted and offseason training for players would resume. MLB spring training camps are expected to begin this Sunday.

So far, neither the league owners nor the players association have released official statements regarding the reported tentative agreement.

As a part of the new agreement, a full 162-game schedule would now be played. The four series that were previously removed from the gaming calendar would be rescheduled, according to MLB.com.

Teams would now have four weeks to hold spring training alongside finishing any off season business that needs to be handled.

Games that were previously canceled by the league are now tentatively “postponed,” as it begins to adjust the original schedule of games, according to The Associated Press.

News of the lockout’s tentative end comes after MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred announced Wednesday that the league would cancel more regular-season games because an agreement hadn’t been reached.

The breakdown of negotiations between MLB owners and players has been ongoing since Dec. 2, 2021.