Originally published by DodgerBlue.com
MLB and the Players Association (MLBPA) failing to reach a deal on a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) before the league’s self-imposed deadline resulted in commissioner Rob Manfred canceling Opening Day first two series of the 2022 regular season.
For the Los Angeles Dodgers it amounted to games against the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks getting removed from their schedule. Manfred reiterated the lost games would not be rescheduled and players wouldn’t be paid for them.
The 2022 Dodgers schedule was originally due to begin Thursday, March 31, with an Opening Day matchup against the Rockies at Dodger Stadium. After the four-game series, L.A. would have hosted the Diamondbacks for three games.
With those matchups being wiped out, the 2022 Dodgers schedule now is tentatively due to begin April 8 — still against the Rockies — but on the road. It will mark a second consecutive year the Dodgers and Rockies meet in a season opener, as they played at Coors Field to begin the 2021 campaign.
Of course, the possibility remains that additional games will be canceled if a new CBA isn’t agreed upon relatively soon. Two days after leaving Florida, MLB deputy commissioner Dan Halem and MLBPA lead negotiator Bruce Meyer met in New York for informal discussions.
Despite reports of progress in negotiations late Monday night, significant differences remained in setting the luxury tax thresholds and establishing a pre-arbitration bonus pool, among other key areas.
Having already been pushed back twice, there’s a general belief Spring Training needs to be four weeks long in order for players to adequately prepare for the 2022 season.
Buehler among players working out at Push Performance during MLB lockout
With no timeline on when the 2022 season may begin, Dodgers ace Walker Buehler is among the MLB players working out at Push Performance in Phoenix, Ariz.
While some have been training on their own, the MLBPA has also begun organizing training camps in Arizona and Florida for players.
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