MLB Proposes Restricted Free-Agency Window and Month-Long Transaction Freeze

Major League Baseball formally sent the players union a proposal Thursday that would restrict free-agency signings to a narrow December window followed by a complete ban on all player transactions through early February, per Yahoo MLB reporting. The proposal aims to create the concentrated offseason frenzy characteristic of the NFL and NBA but faces immediate union rejection over its salary-cap requirement. Under the proposal, a quiet period would run from five days after the World Series until the first day of the winter meetings in December. During this window, teams could re-sign only their own free agents. Beginning at the winter meetings, teams could sign free agents from outside their organization until December 21. MLB research shows major league transactions have nearly doubled since 2011, with teams averaging 57 players last season, led by Atlanta's 72, per Yahoo's reporting. The proposal also includes roster and injury-list modifications. MLB would permit teams to carry 14 pitchers instead of the current 13 while maintaining the 26-man roster limit overall. Weekly roster resets on Mondays would allow teams to refresh their 26-man roster each week, preventing the shuttle of pitchers with minor-league options between levels. The injured list minimums would shift to seven days for position players (down from 10) and 14 days for pitchers (down from 15), while the 60-day injured list would become a 12-week (84-day) minimum. MLB also proposes expanding Rule 5 Draft eligibility. Players selected in the Rule 5 Draft would no longer be required to remain on the major league roster for the entire season and could be optioned to the minors. College players would become eligible for the draft one or two years earlier than currently allowed. Players under 20 would be eligible four years after signing their first professional contract, while players 20 or older would be eligible at the third Rule 5 Draft following their initial professional signing. All proposals, MLB stated through spokesman Glen Caplin, per Yahoo reporting, require a salary cap and salary floor system. Caplin said such a system "would unlock additional opportunities to improve the game for players and fans, creating more stability in rosters, getting the best players to the Major Leagues more quickly, and accelerating the pace of the offseason" but acknowledged that "in our current economic system, these changes would be too harmful to competitive balance and would not be practical." The players union rejected the proposal the same day. Bruce Meyer, interim executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association, stated, per Yahoo, that MLB conditioned the proposals on the union accepting a salary cap that "would drastically reduce overall player compensation, eliminate fully guaranteed contracts through escrow, and turn back the clock on fundamental player rights." Meyer also said the free-agency window would "eliminate player rights by establishing an artificial free agency window, subject to a salary cap, which would reduce player leverage and create a game of musical chairs pitting player vs. player." He added: "The suggestion that the only way to limit roster churn, or incentivize earlier free-agent signings is with a salary cap is entirely unserious. Players have proposed changes that would address these priorities, but the league is not interested in any changes that don't directly reduce the rights of all players and shift leverage to the owners."