Major League Baseball’s ongoing lockout has been ongoing for roughly two weeks, and there is no end in sight. It appears things will stay that way for some time to come as well.
MLB and the MLBPA are unlikely to have substantial discussions regarding core economic issues before January, according to Evan Drellich of The Athletic. The two sides have communicated about smaller issues in recent days and are set to do so again on Thursday.
Sources involved in the process told Drellich that there is not much point to the two sides discussing the most contentious issues right now. Neither side has much reason to change their stance on any issue right now, and negotiations would essentially dissolve into the two groups repeating the same stances to each other. In addition, waiting until January could give the sides some added leverage with spring training theoretically set to begin in February.
Obviously, waiting until January to talk things out would bring a significant risk. There would not be a lot of time to sort out a series of complex issues where the two sides are far apart. At a certain point, the danger of losing regular season games to the lockout would begin to grow quickly.
The public tone so far has not been positive between the two sides, and little has changed on that front either. The situation certainly looks likely to carry into January and possibly beyond.
Photo: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
