Update #6 (2:53 AM EST): The new CBA has also reduced the minimum number of days for a player to be placed on the disabled list from 15 to 10 days.
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Update #5 (10:47 PM EST): New major league players will be banned from using smokeless tobacco under the new CBA, per Sherman. Current major leaguers are grandfathered in.
Rosenthal reports that, starting in 2018, the regular season schedule will begin in the middle of the week which will allow for extra off-days throughout the rest of the schedule.
The Athletics will be phased out as a revenue-sharing recipient over the next four years, also per Rosenthal.
A player can now only be given a qualifying offer once in his career. Yeah, Rosenthal.
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Update #4 (10:32 PM EST): MLB.com has officially announced the news.
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Update #3 (9:37 PM EST): ESPN’s Jayson Stark reports that there will still be draft pick compensation. Teams that exceed the luxury tax threshold will lose a second- and fifth-round draft pick. Teams under the threshold will lose a third-round pick.
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Update #2 (9:06 PM EST): Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports reports that while there will be no international draft, international signings will be capped at around $5-6 million per team per year.
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Update (8:55 PM EST): Joel Sherman of the New York Post hears that the new CBA will have a luxury tax threshold starting at $195 million and rise to $210-215 million over the span of the five-year deal. Sherman also hears that the new CBA will have a 60-70 percent penalty for those who go far beyond the threshold, aimed at those with payrolls around $250 million or greater.
Sherman adds that there will be no 26th roster spot as previously speculated. The current 25-man roster with expanded rosters in September will remain.
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With a few hours left before the midnight deadline, the owners and the players’ union have agreed to a new collective bargaining agreement, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports. The other two possibilities were a lockout and an extension to continue negotiations. Thankfully, this didn’t have to drag on any longer than was necessary.
Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reports that the new CBA will span the next five years (2017-21).
More details about the CBA should be coming shortly. We’ll provide updates here when they’re revealed. We do know that the owners reportedly conceded on instituting an international draft. The qualifying offer system was reportedly on the chopping block as well. The owners were also concerned with the luxury tax threshold.
Now that the CBA has been finalized, expect hot stove action to ramp up considerably. Many teams were waiting to see how the new rules would affect their spending.