MLB Lockout News: Draft Lottery, Playoff Expansion Being Negotiated For 2022

With MLB on the verge of canceling games in the 2022 season because of the lockout, the league and the union don’t seem close on a new collective-bargaining agreement. In addition to disagreements over money, the two sides haven’t come together on issues related to the draft and playoff expansion.

The league wants to increase the number of teams that make the playoffs from 10 to 14, while the MLB Players Association has proposed a 12-team playoff, ESPN reports. There’s a sizable gap between the league and the MLBPA when it comes to a potential draft lottery.

Before the lockout, each year’s MLB Draft order has been determined by reverse order of winning percentage. The team with the worst record gets the No. 1 pick in the first round, followed by the second-worst team in baseball at No. 2, and so on. The union wants to put MLB’s seven worst teams in a lottery that gives them all a chance to earn the No. 1 overall draft pick, according to ESPN.

The union’s detailed plan includes stipulations for non-playoff teams that are outside of the bottom seven to alter their draft positions. The league only wants a draft lottery to include the four worst teams in baseball.

By adding more teams to a draft lottery, the union is trying to disincentivize tanking. Every season, a few teams seemingly have little interest in winning games, hoping to get a higher draft pick. Those teams are also reluctant to spend big money in free agency or on contract extensions for players who are already on their roster.

The union believes adding too many playoff teams would also give owners less reason to spend money on players. The league is interested in the television money that would come with more playoff games.

If a new CBA isn’t agreed upon by Monday, there won’t be a 162-game season.