On Tuesday, after the MLB and MLBPA did not come to an agreement by the owner-imposed 5 p.m. ET deadline, commissioner Rob Manfred moved forward with canceling games.
The first two series of the year for each team have been canceled, effectively eliminating the first week of the 2022 season.
Manfred spoke to the media about the decision, and one aspect of his press conference caught a lot of heat from players and fans. As he was announcing the first in-season work stoppage that the league has seen in 26 seasons, Manfred couldn’t help but laugh, despite it being one of the darker days of his tenure as commissioner.
It certainly isn’t what anyone was looking for from Manfred on Tuesday, at least not from those on the players side, or who were optimistic thanks to Monday night’s reports that progress had been made on a deal.
Player representatives reportedly left Florida Tuesday after talks with the league broke down. So far, it is unclear when talks may resume, with just over a month remaining until the the new potential Opening Day in early April.
