Major League Baseball’s self-imposed 5 p.m. ET deadline came and went without a deal with the players association, and as a result, commissioner Rob Manfred announced that the regular season will not begin as scheduled. The season was set to begin on Thursday, March 31, but the league has canceled the first two series of the year.
“I had hoped against hope I wouldn’t have to have this press conference where I am going to cancel some regular season games,” Manfred said Tuesday. “We worked hard to avoid an outcome that’s bad for our fans, bad for our players and bad for our clubs. Our failure to reach an agreement was not due to a lack of effort by either party.”
The news eliminates between five and seven games for each of the league’s 30 teams.
10 teams are set to lose two home series as a result of today’s announcement, unless the games are made up at some point during the year: the Astros, Athletics, Dodgers, Guardians, Mariners, Marlins, Mets, Padres, Red Sox and Reds.
Here is the full list of series that have been canceled:
First Series—March 31-April 3:
- Baltimore Orioles vs. Toronto Blue Jays (3/31, 4/2–4/3)
- Boston Red Sox vs. Tampa Bay Rays (3/31, 4/2–4/3)
- Chicago White Sox vs. Minnesota Twins (3/31, 4/2–4/3)
- Cincinnati Reds vs. Chicago Cubs (3/31, 4/2–4/3)
- Cleveland Guardians vs. Kansas City Royals (3/31, 4/2–4/3)
- Houston Astros vs. Philadelphia Phillies (3/31, 4/2–4/3)
- Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Colorado Rockies (3/31–4/3)
- Miami Marlins vs. Atlanta Braves (3/31–4/3)
- Milwaukee Brewers vs. Arizona Diamondbacks (3/31–4/2)
- New York Mets vs. Washington Nationals (3/31, 4/2–4/3)
- Oakland Athletics vs. Los Angeles Angels (3/31–4/3)
- Pittsburgh Pirates vs. St. Louis Cardinals (3/31, 4/2–4/3)
- San Diego Padres vs. San Francisco Giants (3/31–4/3)
- Seattle Mariners vs. Detroit Tigers (3/31–4/3)
- Texas Rangers vs. New York Yankees (3/31–4/3)
Second Series—April 4–7:
- Boston Red Sox vs. Baltimore Orioles (4/4–4/6)
- Chicago Cubs vs. St. Louis Cardinals (4/4, 4/6)
- Cincinnati Reds vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (4/4–4/6)
- Cleveland Guardians vs. Minnesota Twins (4/4–4/6)
- Houston Astros vs. New York Yankees (4/4–4/6)
- Kansas City Royals vs. Chicago White Sox (4/4, 4/6–4/7)
- Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Arizona Diamondbacks (4/4–4/6)
- Miami Marlins vs. Texas Rangers (4/4–4/6)
- Milwaukee Brewers vs. San Francisco Giants (4/4–4/6)
- New York Mets vs. Atlanta Braves (4/4–4/5)
- Oakland Athletics vs. Detroit Tigers (4/4–4/6)
- San Diego Padres vs. Colorado Rockies (4/5–4/6)
- Seattle Mariners vs. Los Angeles Angels (4/4–4/5)
- Toronto Blue Jays vs. Tampa Bay Rays (4/4–4/6)
- Washington Nationals vs. Philadelphia Phillies (4/4, 4/6)
“From the beginning of these negotiations, Players‘ objectives have been consistent—to promote competition, provide fair compensation for young Players, and to uphold the integrity of our market system. Against the backdrop of growing revenues and record profits, we are seeking nothing more than a fair agreement,” the MLBPA said in a statement, responding to the cancellations.
“What Rob Manfred characterized as a ‘defensive lockout’ is, in fact, the culmination of a decades-long attempt by owners to break our Player fraternity. As in the past, this effort will fail. We are united and committed to negotiating a fair deal that will improve the sport for Players, fans and everyone who loves our game.”
