The lockout will prevent players from using team facilities as well as free agents from signing new contracts until a new CBA is reached.
In one
letter to fans, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said: “Despite the union’s best efforts to reach an agreement with the Players’ Association, we have been unable to prolong our 26-year history of labor peace and come to an agreement with the MLBPA before the current CBA expires. As a result, we have been forced to begin locking down Major League players, effective at 12:01 a.m. ET on December 2.”
MLB . Players Association
release a statement, said in part: “This closure is a dramatic measure, regardless of timing. It is not required by law or for any other reason. It is the owner’s choice, to be clear and simple, specifically calculated to pressure a Player to give up his rights and interests and to give up good faith bargaining proposals that will not only benefit the Player, but the game and the industry as a whole. “
Negotiators for the union and union met in Irving, Texas, on Wednesday to strike a viable deal on financing and free agency rights ahead of schedule, but negotiations ended only after seven minutes,
based on ESPN. The two sides have been meeting all week.
MLB Says Major League Section of Winter Meeting 2021
Canceled, but minor tournaments will continue as planned.
It’s unclear how long the layoff will last. Ballers and catchers are scheduled to report for spring training in mid-February with the Grapefruit and Cactus Tournament opening Feb. 26. Opening date is scheduled for Feb. March 31. But both require a new CBA.
A player union strike in 1994 led to the cancellation of that year’s World Series. The strike continued until the 1995 season before an agreement was reached in April, shortening the season from 162 to 144 games.
In 2002, a new agreement was reached hours before the strike deadline set by the players, marking the first time in 30 years that the CBA was ratified without a layoff. Similarly, a last-minute deal was struck in 2016 for five years.
CNN’s Jill Martin contributed to this report.
