Trade moves andsignings have been halted for a while, a number ofgames have been canceled, and what’s most important, theOpening Day of the 2022 MLB regular season was postponeduntil April 14 as a result of the lengthy, three-month lockout. But it’s time to turn the page, as theMLB and the MLB Players Associationhave reportedly agreed to terms.

“BREAKING: Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association have reached a tentative agreement on a new labor deal, sources tell ESPN. While it still needs to be ratified by both parties, that is expected to be a formality, and when it is: Baseball is back,” Jeff Passan reported.

When is MLB Opening Day 2022?

The MLB was expected to be underway by now. However,coming out from thelockout took longer than expected as the MLB and the MLBPA failed to reach a new agreement and each team’s first four series were canceled. But fortunately, the league’s resumption seems to be just around the corner.

Opening Day of the 2022 Major League Baseball regular season would be April 7, as reported by Jeff Passan and ESPN’s Jesse Rogers, pending official confirmation. Spring Training camps could begin as early as Friday, March 11, but reports suggest they won’t start before Sunday.

How many games will be played in the 2022 MLB regular season?

Despite the first four series of every team were removed from the schedule at first, this agreement wouldguarantee afull 162-game regular season, asthe four series that were previously removed would be rescheduled. “The makeup games that came as a result of the delay will be rescheduled as nine-inning doubleheaders,” MLB insider Mark Feinsand reported.

Once the two sides ratify the new CBA to officially end the lockout, teams will be ready to get back to business and set their sights onfree agency.Carlos Correa, Trevor Story, Freddie Freeman, and Kris Bryant are some of the biggest names on the market.

MLB labor deal: What’s the new CBA in 2022?

(Via Mark Feinsand of MLB.com)

“The new five-year CBA is expected to include increased minimum salaries, a new pre-arbitration bonus pool to reward the top young players in the game, a raise in competitive balance tax thresholds, the introduction of a universal designated hitter, the widest-ranging Draft lottery in pro sports, a system to prevent alleged service-time manipulation, limits on the number of times a player can be optioned in a season and a 12-team postseason. There will also be the evaluation of an international Draft.”

Several teams decided to not play on Wednesday and even though the NBA reached an agreement with team owners Thursday morning, others MLB Clubs decided to join in the protest for yesterday’s games as well, including the New York Mets.

That’s when things got ugly between the Mets and MLB Commissioner Robert Manfred, as New York’s GM Brodie Van Wagenen publically called out Manfred and accused him of ‘not getting it’ as he allegedly proposed that the game was played an hour later instead of not played at all.

Robert Manfred Posted A Blunt Statement

Robert Manfred was quick to let everybody know that he hadn’t made that or any kind of suggestion, reaffirming that he fully supports the players’ decision to not play as a mean of protest:

“Over the past two days, players on a number of Clubs have decided to not play games. I said both publically and privately that I respect those decisions and support the need to address social injustice. I have not attempted in any way to prevent players from expressing themselves by not playing, nor have I suggested any alternative form of protest to any Club personnelor any player. Any suggestion to contrary is wrong,” the statement read.

Van Wagenen Apologized, Blamed Mets’ Owner Jeff Wilpon

Turns out that Manfred had never said anything like that and it was Mets’ majority owner Jeff Wilpon the one to make that suggestion, as he was reportedly ‘worried’ about the team’s schedule situation.

Brodie Van Wagenen then posted a statement apologizing to Robert Manfred and stating that he misunderstood that the suggestion had come from the commissioner, showing yet another example of how dysfunctional the Mets are as an organization right now.

Both Jeff and Fred Wilpon posted statements of their own showing their support and good relationship with Robert Manfred and throwing Van Wagenen under the bust for his hot-mic comments.

The New York Mets look lost as an organization right now and that’s why Álex Rodríguez and a group of investors areso eager to take the team away from the Wilpons. Hopefully, they’ll succeed.