After a heated 90-minute meeting between MLB and the Players Association on Tuesday, MLB has enlisted the help of a federal mediator. The league reached out to the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service on Thursday and requested help from a third party. A mediator will only become involved if the Players Association agrees with the request.
This is not the first time that mediators have been used during MLBPA strikes; in 1981 and 1994, mediators were brought in but did not come up with a resolution.
However, other leagues, including the NHL and MLS, have utilized mediators, leading to resolutions and ending lockouts.