We have finally found the light at the end of the tunnel.
According to reports, the owners will be ratifying the agreement at 6 p.m.
The league and the Player’s Association have been “close” on numerous occasions, but they have finally agreed to bring back baseball. When the parties agreed to push a decision on an international draft until July 25th, there was serious momentum to get a deal done.
Delaying a decision on the international draft, a nonstarter for most of the player’s, definitely paved a way for an agreement.
Things are going to get CRAZY.
While the league has already come out and cancelled games, that may not actual be the case. Many insiders, including Jesse Rogers of ESPN, are reporting that there will still be 162 games. Rogers reports that doubleheaders (of the nine-inning variety) would help make up the game in a timely fashion.
An agreement could also mean that MLB free agency would open as soon as tonight.
The Phillies have some heavy lifting to do, and they are going to have barely any time to do it. When looking at the roster, there are still numerous holes that Dave Dombrowski has to fill. Glaring holes exist in left field, center field, and in the bullpen. There are decisions that are going to be made regarding the infield and the bench.
With the first luxury tax threshold now being approximately $230M, the Phils should be one of the biggest benefactors in the league. Newfound money to spend gives the team more room to be aggressive in getting better. If John Middleton wants to spend money, there should be plenty of opportunities to make his team better.
Impact players like Kris Bryant, Nick Castellanos, Carlos Correa, and Freddie Freeman are still on the open market. Bryan Reynolds, Matt Olson, and Cedric Mullens should all be available via trade. The Phillies have many directions they can go but have to find a way to get better.
Having the 2021 World Series champions in your division should give Middleton and DD enough motivation to make the moves necessary. They can’t afford to waste another season in Bryce Harper’s prime, especially if he performs at an MVP level.
The next few days are going to be absolutely bonkers. With that in mind, the Phillies absolutely need to be involved in the madness, if not one of the more active teams.
Buckle up, people! We are coming in for a swift landing.