MLB Rumors: Latest Updates on MLB, MLBPA CBA Negotiations Amid Lockout

Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association continued negotiations Tuesday over a new collective bargaining agreement, but multiple hurdles remain between the two parties.

ESPN's Jeff Passan reported the minimum salary remains a point of contention. A wide gulf also exists between what MLB and the MLBPA are seeking as the bonus pool for some players who aren't eligible for arbitration:

On Monday, The Athletic's Evan Drellich reported the players union removed one of its bigger demands from the table in order to further negotiations. The union is no longer seeking a new age-based free agency. Instead, six years of service time will likely continue to be required before a player hits the open market.

According to Drellich, MLB deputy commissioner Dan Halem also said the league is prepared to sacrifice some games amid the ongoing lockout. Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith added some context to that report:

It doesn't appear a new CBA is imminent. 

MLB agreeing to a pre-arbitration bonus pool is a step forward, but coming nearly $100 million short of the MLBPA's figure shows how much is left to resolve there. Travis Sawchik of The Score also explained why the minimum salary could be a big sticking point for the union:

Still, fans were probably expecting the worst when MLB owners officially locked the players out on Dec. 2. Drellich followed up Dec. 15 and reported MLB and the MLBPA were "unlikely to talk core economics until January."

Considering the general state of the relationship between the parties, a prolonged standoff seemed inevitable. Based on the reporting from the past two deals, the level of optimism is beginning to rise.

Spring training represents the first tangible deadline for a compromise before MLB will have to begin making alterations to the 2022 season. Games are slated to begin Feb. 26.

From there, Opening Day is a little over a month later on March 31.