From BaseballAmerica.com…
Major League Baseball announced Wednesday night it has locked out the players following the expiration of the collective bargaining agreement.
Owners voted unanimously voted to institute the lockout once the current CBA expired at 11:59 pm ET with no new agreement in place. It is MLB’s first work stoppage since the 1994 player strike and the first lockout since 1990.
In a statement addressed to fans posted on MLB.com, Commissioner Rob Manfred said “Simply put, we believe that an offseason lockout is the best mechanism to protect the 2022 season. We hope that the lockout will jumpstart the negotiations and get us to an agreement that will allow the season to start on time.
This defensive lockout was necessary because the Players Association’s vision for Major League Baseball would threaten the ability of most teams to be competitive. It’s simply not a viable option. From the beginning, the MLBPA has been unwilling to move from their starting position, compromise, or collaborate on solutions.”
