MLB owners and players reach tentative labor deal, clearing the way for start to spring training

Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred answers questions during an MLB owner’s meeting at the Waldorf Astoria on February 10, 2022 in Orlando, Florida.

The tentative labor deal between Major League Baseball and the players union will allow for the start of spring training in early April.

The agreement is subject to approval, according to a person familiar with the matter. The deal must be approved by 23 of the 30 owners. The agreement was approved by the players association's executive committee and player representatives.

The sides failed to reach a new collective bargaining agreement after 99 days of the owner-imposed lockout of players. Spring training was canceled.

The season was supposed to start on March 31. The start of the season was canceled last week after owners and players couldn't agree on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement.

The season is set to start on April 7, according to the agreement. The season would be extended for three days and there would be multiple games to make up for lost games.

According to the sports news network, players can report to spring training as early as Friday. The spring training games could start on March 18.

Wednesday night, MLB owners said they would cancel more games and push opening day to April 14 without a deal.

How far to expand the number of teams in the playoffs was a sticking point. The sides agreed to include 12 teams in the playoffs, up from 10. The designated hitter role will be adopted by the National League, meaning that pitchers will no longer have to hit in that league.

The minimum salary for MLB will start at $700,000, an increase from the previous one. The minimum the players union wanted was $775,000.

After the agreement is finalized, free agency and player signings will resume.

The owners of MLB were the ones who got the lion's share of the blame.

45% of fans blamed MLB owners for the failure to reach a new agreement, according to a study. The number of people blaming owners for the dispute around the shortened 2020 season has gone up. The players were blamed by twenty one percent.

CNBC's Jessica Golden contributed to the report.

This is breaking news. You can check back for updates.