Orioles Season Back On: When MLB Season Will Start

Baltimore MD

10 March, 2022

5:38 PM

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BALTIMORE, MD — Major League Baseball and the Players Association agreed to a deal that would end the lockout and give fans a full season. Opening Day is set for April 7. Commissioner Rob Manfred Jr. announced March 1 that the first two series of the season were canceled, with more cancellations potentially to come if the two sides couldn't find common ground. Those games have now been restored, despite the later start date. MLB is scheduling in some doubleheaders to account for the April 7 Opening Day. Spring Training will start around March 18-20. Related: MLB Lockout Nears End, Players Accept Terms In Time For 162 Games Talks to hammer down a new collective bargaining agreement between team owners and Major League Baseball Players Association leaders broke down Wednesday night, potentially pushing Opening Day to April 14. But Thursday afternoon, both sides were able to come to agreeable terms, according to MLB reporter Mark Feinsand. The collective bargaining agreement still must be ratified by the owners and players for Spring Training camps to open Sunday. If that happens, the lockout will have ended after 99 days. There will be a full season with many of the pandemic changes, like nine-inning doubleheaders and no more automatic baserunners in extra innings, ending. A new addition is the universal designated hitter, meaning teams in both the American and National League will have the DH. The postseason will be expanded to 12 teams, something the league pushed for in its negotiations. Player uniforms will for the first time have advertising patches on their jerseys and decals on their helmets. A pitch clock will be used, and the shift will be banned beginning in 2023. Patch editors Mike Carraggi and Marcus Garner contributed to this report.