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.