MLB Cancels Season’s First Two Series, Is ‘Prepared to Continue Negotiations’

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred announced that the league is canceling regular season games in light of MLB and the Players Association not agreeing to a new collective bargaining agreement by Tuesday's owner-imposed deadline. 

This is the first time in nearly three decades that regular season games are being canceled due to a work stoppage. 

“We worked hard to avoid an outcome that's bad for our fans, bad for our players and bad for our clubs,” Manfred said Tuesday afternoon. “I want to assure our fans that our failure to reach an agreement was not due to a lack of effort by either party.”

The league presented its “best and final” proposal to the players ahead of the deadline, which reportedly featured no changes to the current competitive balance tax thresholds and marginal raises to the league’s minimum salary. It was unanimously rejected by the players association.

“The most unfortunate thing, that agreement, the one we offered to our players, offered huge benefits to our players and fans,” he said.

The commissioner, though, denies that the owners side “used the phrase last, best final offer” with the union, per Evan Drellich of The Athletic. 

“We said it was our best offer prior to the deadline to cancel games. Our negotiations are deadlocked right now... but that’s different than using the legal term impasse, and I’m not going to do that right now."

Manfred said the two sides will regroup and meet again in New York, but Opening Day will be delayed. For now, the commissioner is only calling off the first week of games—two series for each team—and it leaves April 8 as the possible date for Opening Day. 

”We're prepared to continue negotiations,” Manfred said. “We've been informed that the MLBPA is headed back to New York, meaning no agreement is possible until at least Thursday.”

The commissioner also stated that the “last five years have been very difficult for the league from a revenue perspective.” However, MLB totaled approximately $43 billion in that period, according to The Score's Travis Sawchik. 

According to the commissioner, it is impossible to reschedule the games due to interleague play. But, what does the cancellation of the first two series financially mean for stadium workers, franchise employees and the players? 

“Our position is that games that are not played, players will not get paid for,” Manfred said. The union, however, said it is part of the negotiation, per Sports Illustrated's Stephanie Apstein.  

The Players Association released a statement shortly after Manfred's press conference. 

“What Rob Manfred characterized as a ‘defensive lockout’ is, in fact, the culmination of a decades-long attempt by owners to break out Player fraternity,” the union said, in part. “As in the past, this effort will fail. We are united and committed to negotiating a fair deal that will improve the sport for Players, fans and everyone who loves our game.”