Well, what seemed inevitable has finally happened. For the first time in 26 years, Major League Baseball is going through a lockout, as team owners and the MLB Players’ Association couldn’t reach an agreement on the new CBA.
That happened in the middle of a spending frenzy that saw teams like the Texas Rangers commit half a billion dollars in two players, while other stars like Max Scherzer and Robbie Ray also got plenty of cash.
So, what does that means for the teams like the Yankees or Red Sox who have yet to add major names to their rosters? And what’s going to happen with Carlos Correa and Kris Bryant in the meantime? Let’s find out.
MLB Free Agency: Several Teams Inquiring About Carlos Correa
Even though he can’t sign anywhere during the lockout, Carlos Correa still has plenty of offers on his table. According to Mark Berman of Fox 26, at least 5 ballclubs have offered him deals north of $30 million per year.
“According to MLB sources the agent for free-agent shortstop Carlos Correa has heard from the@Yankees,@RedSox,@Dodgers,@Cubsand@Bravesand was offered five years/$160 million by the Astros last month,” reported Berman.
MLB Rumors: Kris Bryant Drawing Plenty Of Interest
Kris Bryant is also gauging a lot of attention in the market. While no numbers have been discussed, it seems like multiple teams are going to engage in a bidding war for the former Cubs star, per Jon Heyman of MLB network.
“Mets, Angels and Padres are among many teams to have shown interest in star free agent Kris Bryant, whose marketing is now percolating, Mariners, Phillies, Rockies, Astros among others who have checked in,” tweeted Heyman.
MLB Lockout: What’s Next?
The lockout pretty much means that there can’t be any signings or even contact between the teams and the players until the lockout if lifted. Also, it means that the Winter Meetings that would take place between December 6-9 are now officially canceled.
Commissioner Rob Manfred published an open letter blaming the MLBPA of the lockout, claiming that the players’ demands of establishing a salary flor wouldhurt some teams’ ability to compete:
“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,” read the letter.
Well, I’m sure that there are plenty of business mogulf who have enough money to invest on MLB teams if the poor owners don’t have enough to spend in free agency. Whatever is the case, this situation is likely not going to change until next year.