NEW YORK (AP) — Baseball labor negotiations are set to resume Tuesday, just over two weeks before the scheduled start of a spring training that’s threatened by a lockout. The sport’s ninth work stoppage began Dec. 2 after the expiration of a five-year labor contract.
The sides did not meet again on the central economic issues until Jan. 24, when players withdrew their proposal for more liberalized free agency. Management responded the following day by withdrawing its proposal for more limited salary arbitration.
Tuesday’s session will be the first on the central issues since then and the sides are apart on many economic proposals. That leaves very little time to end the lockout and avoid disrupting the Feb. 16 scheduled start of spring training workouts. Players would need several days to travel to team complexes in Arizona and Florida, plus time to go through COVID-19 protocols.
Given the need for at least three weeks of workouts, Opening Day on March 31 would be threatened if there is not an agreement by late February or early March.
