Congratulations, baseball fans: You have made it through the long, cold winter of your discontent. After a 99-day lockout, plenty of contentious debates and more than a few blown deadlines, MLB and the MLBPA have finally settled on the structure for a new collective bargaining agreement to last through 2026. The deal will be official once it’s been formally ratified by both sides—perhaps as soon as Thursday night. After that, the league will be prepared to pull off a full season, with 162 games workable with just a few tweaks and Opening Day scheduled for April 7.
All of which means that baseball is about to be back open for business—all the business, all at the same time, all as soon as possible. Get ready for a whirlwind of activity unlike anything baseball has seen in recent memory. Here’s a guide for what to expect:
Greg Nelson/Sports Illustrated
