NEW YORK -- Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred canceled 93 more games Wednesday, appearing to close the remaining chance to play a full 162-game schedule and threatening locked out players with loss of salary and service time.
After the sides narrowed many economic differences and became bogged down over management's attempt to gain an international amateur draft, MLB announced two additional series had been canceled through April 13. That raised the total to 184 games wiped out from the 2,430-game regular season, or 7.6%.
"Because of the logistical realities of the calendar, another two series are being removed from the schedule, meaning that opening day is postponed until April 14," Manfred said.
The union's latest counteroffer was hand delivered by chief negotiator Bruce Meyer to MLB's office after he walked three blocks through a wintry mix from union headquarters.
While the gaps narrowed on the luxury tax, pre-arbitration bonus pool and minimum salary, management continued to press for its long-held goal of an international amateur draft. Players have repeatedly rejected the proposal since it was made on July 28.
"The owners' decision to cancel additional games is completely unnecessary," the union said in a statement. "After making a set of comprehensive proposals to the league earlier this afternoon and being told substantive responses were forthcoming, players have yet to hear back."
MLB said it would not make a new counteroffer to players unless the union first chose one of three options: agreeing to the international draft in exchange for the elimination of direct amateur draft pick compensation for qualified free agents; keeping compensation in exchange for MLB dropping the international draft proposal; or dropping compensation while giving players until Nov. 15 to accept an international draft starting in 2024 while giving MLB the right to re-open the labor contract after the 2024 season if players fail to accept the draft.
On the 98th day of baseball's first work stoppage since 1995, the last alternative would leave open the possibility of another labor conflict in less than three years between parties that regard each other with disdain.
Players rejected all three options and instead proposed to drop compensation for this year, have the sides agree to a draft by Nov. 15 or then revert to compensation for the 2022-23 offseason.
"In a last-ditch effort to preserve a 162-game season, this week we have made good-faith proposals that address the specific concerns voiced by the MLBPA and would have allowed the players to return to the field immediately," Manfred said. "The clubs went to extraordinary lengths to meet the substantial demands of the MLBPA. On the key economic issues that have posed stumbling blocks, the clubs proposed ways to bridge gaps to preserve a full schedule. Regrettably, after our second late-night bargaining session in a week, we remain without a deal."
Major League Baseball Deputy Commissioner Dan Halem, left, Senior Vice President Patrick Houlihan, second from left, Executive Vice President Morgan Sword, second from right, and spokesman Glen Caplin arrive at the Major League Baseball Players Association in New York for labor negotiations, Tuesday March 8, 2022. (AP Photo/Ron Blum)
Tony Clark, second from left, executive director of the baseball players association, appears at a news conference with pitcher Andrew Miller, left, Bruce Meyer, chief union negotiator, second from right, and New York Mets pitcher Max Scherzer, right, Tuesday, March 1, 2022, in Jupiter, Fla. Major League Baseball has canceled opening day. Commissioner Rob Manfred announced Tuesday the sport will lose regular-season games over a labor dispute for the first time in 27 years after acrimonious lockout talks collapsed in the hours before management's deadline. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred speaks during a news conference after negotiations with the players' association toward a labor deal, Tuesday, March 1, 2022, at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Fla. Manfred said he is canceling the first two series of the season that was set to begin March 31, dropping the schedule from 162 games to likely 156 games at most. Manfred said the league and union have not made plans for future negotiations. Players won't be paid for missed games. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)