According to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, the owners and players are expected to meet later this week to discuss "core economic issues." This meeting later this week will mark the fifth time that the two sides have met in person since the start of the second-longest work stoppage in baseball history started back on December 2, 2021.

Wednesday, February 16, 2022, was supposed to be when all 30 teams had their spring training camps open. Instead, we are hoping that the two sides figure out a new CBA agreement as soon as possible to avoid an Opening Day delay. The owners made what commissioner Rob Mandred described as a "good faith, positive proposal" last Saturday. Unfortunately, the MLBPA walked away unimpressed because many of their concerns went unaddressed, according to reports after the meeting.

The lockout only applies to 40-man roster players (i.e. MLBPA members) and not minor league players. Minor League spring training is slated to start later this month and the regular minor league season begins in April as scheduled. Some Major League teams are holding prospect mini-camps this week.

Opening Day is scheduled for Thursday, March 31, and Manfred said he believes players will need four weeks to prepare for the regular season. An agreement must be reached within two weeks or so to avoid disrupting the regular season, something Manfred said would be a "disastrous outcome for this industry."