Dec. 1. 2021, Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred locked out all 30 teams from contacting players because the Major League Baseball Players Association [MLBPA] could not agree on terms for a new collective bargaining agreement. The collective bargaining agreement dictates terms the players and managers must agree on before games can take place. After a 99 day lockout where topics such as player salaries, contract rules and postseason rules were all negotiated, the league and the union came to an agreement and are scheduled to play a full 162 game season, with three days of doubleheaders, two, seven inning games, starting April 7.

Now that the lockout is over, free agent signings can begin March 10 and players can start going to their spring training camps in either Arizona or Florida starting March 11 but must report to camp by Sunday March 13. Spring training games will start March 17-18.

Using existing schedules for the 2022 season, only eight games are scheduled for opening day, April 7, with 12 games scheduled for April 8, seven of which are new series, sets of three or four games.

The deal between MLB and MLBPA finalized when the league made a proposal that answered the gap in the competitive balance tax, a cap on how much a team could spend on their roster. Disputes over the international drafts were threatening the negotiations and the league removed two more series, Wednesday. However, issues were resolved Thursday morning when the league made a proposal to the union where eight members of the MLBPA and 30 players voted 26-12 in favor of the agreement.

The deal included the competitive balance tax increasing from $230 million to $244 million with the minimum salary for players who have less than three years in the major leagues from $570,500 to $700,000 and can grow to $780,000 with $50 million bonus pool being distributed amongst young players who have not reached salary arbitration, players who are not available for free agency and could not come to terms on a contract by the deadline.

Along with this, ESPN columnist Jeff Passan confirmed that there will be 12 teams making it to the postseason instead of 10. Uniforms will have advertisements on their jerseys and helmets with patches and decals in order to add extra revenue, pitchers will have a designated hitter, and players will be limited on how many times they can be optioned between the major and minor league in a season. Lastly, in 2023 MLB will have a pitch clock, shift bans, moving players around the field instead of their designated spot, and larger bases.