Nearly two months have passed since Major League Baseball began its first work stoppage in over a quarter century. Now the start of spring training is looming, as is Opening Day for the 2022 season on March 31.
And yet, MLB and the MLB Players Association don't seem close to a new collective bargaining agreement.
Two sides didn't even engage with one another for weeks after the owners locked out the players on Dec. 2, 2021. The radio silence lasted until Jan. 13, when the league and the union met via Zoom, and the former finally put forth a proposal.