MLB baseball is back! MLB and MLBPA reach agreement to end lockout

Baseball is back! (Kamil Krzaczynski - USA Today Sports)

by Tony Crumpton - Senior Editor - Thu Mar 10 15:34:35 GMT-04:00 2022

Great news for fans of America's pastime!

Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association have reached a tentative agreement on a new five-year collective bargaining agreement on Thursday.

The Union's executive board voted 26-12 in favor of ending the strike and agreeing to the new terms by MLB.

Today was the 99th day of the lockout and the second-longest labor strike in baseball history besides the 1994-1995 season.

Players reportedly can report to spring training as early as tomorrow.

Opening Day is expected to be April 7 (likely Brewers-Cubs) and a full season of 162 games should be able to be played even with the late start.

Free agency should start ASAP with free agents able to sign and trades open for teams. There is still more than 200 players that are on the market including Carlos Correa, Freddie Freman, Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, and more.

According to ESPN's Jess Rogers, there are nine-inning doubleheaders again and regular extra-inning rules, and no more of the man on second base to start extras.