Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association struck a deal Thursday on a new collective bargaining deal, paving the way for the 2022 regular season to begin on April 7.
After the MLBPA approved the deal by a vote of 26-12, the owners ratified it with a unanimous 30-0 vote on Thursday night, officially closing the three-month lockout.
"I'm really thrilled to say that Major League Baseball is back and we're going to play 162 games," Commissioner Rob Manfred said. “I want to start by apologizing to my fans. I know the last few months have been difficult. There is a lot of uncertainty, at a time when there is a lot of uncertainty in the world. [It's] the way the collective bargaining process works sometimes, but I apologize for that.
“One of the cool things about collective bargaining is that it gives our players a chance to have input on what they’re working on and what the game looks like going forward. And they took full opportunity to provide that input during these negotiations.” Liya. Our players are great, great athletes. I respect them. And I respect the input they got during this process. And we really learned a lot."
The mandatory Spring Training report date for all clubs is Sunday. The exhibition games will start on March 17 or 18.
The deal came a day after MLB postponed Opening Day until April 14 for lack of a new deal and announced that each team's first four series were dropped from the schedule. However, as part of the agreement, a full 162-game schedule will be played, and the four series that were previously dropped from the calendar will be rescheduled.
The new five-year CBA includes an increase in the minimum wage, a new pre-arbitration bonus pool to reward the top young players in the game, an increase in the competitive balance tax threshold, the introduction of a universally designated hitter, the most comprehensive draft lottery ever. In pro sports, a system to prevent alleged service-time manipulation and the number of times a player can be substituted in a season to address concerns regarding "roster churn".
The deal also includes an expanded 12-team postseason format, which brings playoff baseball to two additional markets each year.
As part of the agreement, a joint competition committee will be formed consisting of four active players, six members appointed by MLB and one umpire. Starting in 2023, the committee will be tasked with adopting changes to the rules of play such as pitch clock, base size, defensive positioning and automatic ball/strike zones.
Under the previous agreement, MLB had the right to unilaterally implement rule changes with one year's notice, but the new system would allow collaboration between the league and players to improve the game in a more timely fashion.
Manfred reached out to MLBPA executive director Tony Clark after the union voted in favor of the deal.
Manfred said, "I told him that I thought we had a good opportunity for the sport and told him that I looked forward to working with him on things that are new in the deal, such as getting the international draft." attempt to." said. "More generally, on seizing the opportunity that I think lies before us."
With the CBA finalized, teams around the league will now focus on completing their off-season business, as more than 200 players remain in the free-agent market, including Carlos Correa, Freddie Freeman, Kris Bryant and Trevor Story.
Commissioner Manfred's Full Presser
Here are some details of the agreement between MLB and MLBPA:
Minimum income
2022: $700,000
2023: $720,000
2024: $740,000
2025: $760,000
2026: $780,000
• The first-year growth is the largest single-year increase in history, nearly five times the $27,500 increase in the prior CBA's first year. It also represents a huge increase compared to the total for the last 10 years.
Competitive balance tax limit
2022: $230 million
2023: $233 million
2024: $237 million
2025: $241 million
2026: $244 million
• The $20 million increase from 2021 to '22 is almost double the biggest increase from the previous first year.
• A fourth tax level has been added at $60 million above the base limit to address runaway spending.
Pre-arbitration Bonus Pool
• $50 million (to be distributed to the top 100 players based on prizes and statistical performance).
• MLB and MLBPA will jointly develop a statistical methodology for allocating funds.
• Under this system, NL Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burns would see his salary increase to $4.2 million from $608,000 last season, while Rookie of the Year winners Randy Arozerena and Jonathan India tripled their salaries in 2021 Will have seen more than
Draft lottery
• Top 6 selections will be rewarded through lottery.
• Odds will be based on reverse order of winning percentage, with the bottom three clubs each having 16.5%.
• Post-season 18 clubs will be eligible, although revenue sharing recipients will be ineligible to receive lottery selection in three consecutive years, while non-payers will be ineligible to receive lottery selection in consecutive years.
International draft
• In lieu of agreeing to the International Draft by July 25, 2022, MLB will end the qualifying offer system (direct draft-pick compensation) for free agents.
• The international draft will be of 20 rounds (over 600 selections), increasing the total compensation earned by amateurs to over $20 million annually.
• Signing bonus for drafted players will be guaranteed.
• Clubs that select players from development countries (countries with less than 0.5% signing in the last three signing periods) will receive additional selection to encourage scouting and signing in emerging markets.
Rules change
Starting in 2023, a committee consisting of six members appointed by four active players, the MLB and an umpire will be tasked with adopting changes to play rules such as pitch clock, base size, defensive position and automatic ball/strike zones.
Other information
• Contracts will be guaranteed for arbitration-qualified players.
• The top prospects who finish 1st or 2nd in Rookie of the Year voting will receive a full year of service.
• Clubs promoting the top prospects on the Opening Day roster will be eligible to receive draft picks if the player finishes in the top 3 in Rookie of the Year voting or in the top 5 in MVP/Cy Young voting.
• After the extended season: 12 teams, the top two division winners received byes.
• Universal designated hitter.
• Players may be given the option only five times per season.