MLB Rumors: Owners, Players Have No CBA Talks Scheduled amid Lockout

The MLB lockout does not have an end date in sight.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported Monday that MLB and the players association do not have any negotiations scheduled to take place. The sides met twice in December but only discussed "non-core economic issues."

MLB locked out its players Dec. 2 after the two sides could not agree to a new collective bargaining agreement, and updates on progress have been few and far between.

December and January are typically lull months in baseball, so there's seemingly been minimal pressure to get a deal done. However, pitchers and catches are supposed to report to their teams Feb. 14—less than a month-and-a-half from now. The closer we get to that date, the less likely it is we'll see a typical spring training.

The 2022 season is slated to begin March 31, and there will be a necessary period of ramping up for players regardless of whether there's a traditional spring training. It's probably time both sides start showing urgency to get a deal done, or there's a real danger games will be missed and irreparable harm done to fan enthusiasm.

MLB has seen its ratings wane in recent seasons, and the 1994 player strike—baseball's last work stoppage—led to massive public backlash that took years of soothing over for the sport to recover.