Usually, there is no reason to focus on MLB free agency in August. It's three months away and there's playoffs to worry about.
Except this year, baseball's traditionally drawn-out free agency period is expected to be a frenzy, condensed into the three weeks between the end of the World Series and the end of the collective bargaining agreement.
The market opens five days after the World Series ends. The labor deal expires at 11:59 p.m. ET on Dec. 1, and a lockout is widely expected the moment it does. The last one ran 99 days and froze every signing and trade in the sport. This one could be worse, because the owners want a salary cap and the union has spent decades saying that's not even in the conversation.
So, the players about to hit the market are looking at a narrow chance in November where deals can actually get done under the current CBA before the expected lockout.
These last two months will matter more than they normally would. Almost every name in this free agent class just changed teams at the deadline. Tarik Skubal is a Dodger. Freddy Peralta is a Ray. Luis Arraez is a Phillie. Kevin Gausman and Clay Holmes are Cubs.
#expected #three #days #lockout
Except this year, baseball's traditionally drawn-out free agency period is expected to be a frenzy, condensed into the three weeks between the end of the World Series and the end of the collective bargaining agreement.
The market opens five days after the World Series ends. The labor deal expires at 11:59 p.m. ET on Dec. 1, and a lockout is widely expected the moment it does. The last one ran 99 days and froze every signing and trade in the sport. This one could be worse, because the owners want a salary cap and the union has spent decades saying that's not even in the conversation.
So, the players about to hit the market are looking at a narrow chance in November where deals can actually get done under the current CBA before the expected lockout.
These last two months will matter more than they normally would. Almost every name in this free agent class just changed teams at the deadline. Tarik Skubal is a Dodger. Freddy Peralta is a Ray. Luis Arraez is a Phillie. Kevin Gausman and Clay Holmes are Cubs.
#expected #three #days #lockout
3 months ago
