Mar 10, 2022 - Sports

MLB reaches agreement with players, ending a months-long lockout

Shawna Chen

Photo of a white baseball sitting on a dirt field — A baseball sits on a practice field on the first day of full-squad workouts during Cubs spring training on Feb. 22, 2021, at Sloan Park in Mesa, Arizona. Photo: Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association have reached an agreement, ending the longest lockout in its history after a months-long labor fight, multiple outlets reported.

Why it matters: With the new deal, free agency starts Thursday night and players can report for spring training as early as Friday, ESPN reports.

Opening Day, which was originally scheduled for March 31, will be April 7, the New York Times reports.

The big picture: Long-simmering tensions between MLB and its players' union had led both sides to accuse the other of not wanting to strike a deal.

At the heart of the dispute were core issues including the Competitive Balance Tax, minimum salaries and payment systems for young players.

Add Axios on Google

MLB reaches agreement with players, ending a months-long lockout

What to read next