Baltimore Orioles: Major League Baseball finishes CBA

Major League Baseball won’t face a lockout, and that’s because the union and the Players Association worked out a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. So what’s changed and what’s stayed the same?

Discussion for a new Collective Bargaining went down to the wire on Wednesday night. And luckily for both the owners and the Players Association, a new CBA was agreed upon almost three hours before the deadline. The new CBA is slated to take place next offseason, but what exactly changed?

Luxury Tax

This offseason, the luxury tax will remain at $189 Million. However, the luxury tax will rise to $195 Million by next season. By the year 2021, the luxury tax will reach $210 Million. The new luxury tax is  good news for the big market teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees. But believe it or not, the luxury tax correlates with the qualifying offers.

Qualifying Offers

Teams are still allowed to offer a qualifying offer to players who have played an entire season with their respective team. However, if another team signs a player with a qualifying offer, they do not lose the first round draft pick. Instead, if a team is above the luxury tax, they will lose the second round pick, the fifth round pick and $1,000,000. If the team is under the luxury tax, they will only lose the third round pick.

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Smokeless Tobacco

New Major League Baseball players are banned from using smokeless tobacco. However, players that are currently in the Majors are grandfathered in and are allowed to use smokeless tobacco.

All-Star Game

The All-Star Game will not determine home field advantage for the World Series. Instead, the team with the best record in the Majors determines which league gets home field advantage. So for example, if the Baltimore Orioles had the best record in the Major Leagues, the American League would have home field advantage in the World Series.

Instead, players that are chosen to the All-Star Game will compete for a pool of money.

Disabled List

Major League Baseball has done away with the 15-day disabled list. Instead, teams will have a 10-day disabled list which will allow quicker decisions on whether they a team should bring in a roster replacement.

Next: Orioles acquire RHP Logan Verrett from Mets

Season Start Time

Major League Baseball wants to start the season four days earlier than usual. That would allow for extra days off in the schedule. Major League Baseball also will start in the middle of the week versus on a Sunday or Monday.