Report: 'No substantive progress' in lockout talks between MLB, MLBPA
Midnight is approaching, and the MLB Opening Day schedule set for March 31 is even closer to turning into a pumpkin.
It was learned Wednesday that regular-season games will be canceled and not rescheduled if MLB owners and MLB Players Association representatives cannot come to an agreement that ends the ongoing lockout by the end of Monday. As Jesse Rogers of ESPN tweeted, the situation is not good for fans following Thursday's discussions between the owners and players.
The Athletic's Evan Drellich didn't dance around the issue when he noted that Thursday's sessions "brought no substantive progress" as it pertains to ending the work stoppage that's already caused the cancellation of spring training games through at least March 5:
If owners were trying to scare union members with Wednesday's update, the tactic didn't work. ESPN's Jeff Passan tweeted progress in talks has been "minimal" and "incremental" this week, and Rogers added Thursday's meetings actually ended earlier than planned:
USA Today's Bob Nightengale pointed out more spring training games will be scrapped, potentially as soon as Friday morning or afternoon:
As The Associated Press (h/t ESPN) and others explained, labor talks will continue Friday and could now involve an MLBPA request to make up any potentially-canceled regular-season games as future doubleheaders. MLB will reportedly "not agree" to such a shift in schedules, which could lead to the players refusing to accept an expanded postseason for 2022 and advertisements on uniforms and helmets worn during contests.
The lockout began shortly after midnight ET on Dec. 2, and its end seems as far away as it was weeks before Christmas.
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