Report: MLB Willing to Increase CBT If MLBPA Shows Flexibility in Other Areas of Deal

It appears Major League Baseball is willing to budge on its $220 million competitive-balance tax threshold offer, provided the union shows flexibility in other areas, according to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal.

The league reportedly wants the Players Association to lower its proposal of an $80 million pre-arbitration bonus pool. In addition, it wants larger penalties for teams that exceed the thresholds and a "streamlined process for implementing rules changes beyond the 2023 season."

Rosenthal's report comes after MLB spokesperson Glen Caplin said Sunday that the union "went backwards" on some of the items in its latest CBA proposal. Caplin added that the two sides remain "deadlocked." 

However, the MLBPA said it has already made "major concessions," according to USA Today's Bob Nightengale. If the players feel they have already given up a lot in negotiations, it's unclear if they would give up more to get the league to move on its luxury tax offer. 

According to ESPN's Jesse Rogers, the union's latest proposal included a $5 million reduction in the pre-arbitration bonus pool but did not include any changes to the CBT proposal. 

As it stands, the MLBPA's threshold for the luxury tax begins at $238 million and ends at $263 million, while the league hasn't been willing to increase its offer, which starts at $220 million and increases to $230 million over five years. 

While the two sides haven't been able to agree on the competitive balance tax, they have at least made some progress in other areas. According to MLB Network's Jon Heyman, they agreed to ban shifts, implement a pitch clock and make bases larger in 2023. 

The league has already pushed back spring training and canceled regular-season games through the first two series of the 2022 campaign. Nightengale reported that more cancelations are expected, with the season possibly being delayed until mid-April.

In addition, Nightengale reports the league and the union could meet again as soon as Monday in New York.