After a 99-day lockout, Major League Baseball and the players association finally reached an agreement for a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA), finally starting the 2022 season.
Before things get started, here’s what you need to know about the new CBA and how it pertains to the Pirates.
SO WHAT’S NEW WITH THE CBA?
The full story on the new CBA can be found here, but just to run through the key points: The competitive balance tax and league minimum salary were both raised, and will continue to grow over the course of the five-year agreement. There will also be a bonus pool of $50 million for pre-arbitration players, and the top six draft picks will be determined via a lottery in an effort to disincentivize tanking.
The final hurdle that needed to be cleared was potentially instituting an international draft, but those negotiations will continue through July 25.
There are several rule changes coming, including the National League adopting the designated hitter in 2022. In 2023, shifts will be banned, a pitch clock will be implemented and bases will also be expanded.
HOW WILL IT IMPACT THE PIRATES?
Changes to revenue sharing are minimal outside of new league revenue streams, like the league entering a new broadcast deal with Apple. So for those hoping for a salary floor, no dice.
If there is any good news for the Pirates with this CBA – and it is a stretch to refer to it as good news – it’s that most of the new proposals, like having players reach free agency or arbitration sooner, did not end up coming to fruition. For a team that mostly consists of players without enough service time to reach free agency, the new CBA could have had a major impact on how the team handles its roster construction.
The CBA’s greatest impact for roster construction will apply to rookies and top prospects. For years, teams usually kept a player in the minors for at least the first few weeks of the season to retain another year of team control. In an effort to try to stop this, teams that promote top prospects to the majors on opening day are eligible to potentially receive bonus draft picks if they finish either in the top three of rookie of the year voting or top five in MVP voting. Conversely, players who finish in the top two of rookie of the year voting will be credited with a full year of service time, regardless of how long they were actually in the majors.
These new rules could potentially influence where Oneil Cruz and Roansy Contreras start next season. The team’s top hitting and pitching prospect both made cameos at the end of last season, and under the old system would have most likely started the year with Class AAA Indianapolis. Cruz is a rookie of the year favorite, so the Pirates will have the weigh the potential of getting more draft picks vs. him getting credit for a full year despite not playing a whole year for them.
WHAT HAVE THE PIRATES DONE SO FAR THIS OFFSEASON?
The Pirates were active before the lockout began, parting ways with some of their longest-tenured players. Steven Brault, Chad Kuhl and Colin Moran were all non-tendered, and Jacob Stallings with traded to the Marlins for three players: major-league right-hander Zach Thompson and prospects Kyle Nicolas and Connor Scott. Chasen Shreve and Wilmer Difo, two contributors for most of last season, were also let go.
The Pirates brought in Roberto Pérez to replace Stallings. The two-time Gold Glove winning catcher is one of the best fielders in the game, but he has been inconsistent with the bat the last two seasons and dealt with multiple injuries in 2021.
Yoshi Tsutsugo returned on a one-year deal – his preference – after excelling over the final months of the season. He is expected to get most of his playing time as a first baseman or DH.
José Quintana was the third free agent to sign a one-year deal with the Pirates in late November. The team coveted him several years ago when he was with the White Sox, but after a shaky year with the Angels and White Sox, he’s also looking to rebuild his value. He will be given the opportunity to start and try to prove why the Pirates are buying into his strikeout rate.
The Pirates also claimed outfielder Greg Allen and reliever Eric Hanhold off waivers.
On the coaching side, Andy Haines has been brought in as hitting coach, Mike Rabelo will take over as third base coach and Radley Haddad has been brought on as game planning/strategy coach. Rick Eckstein and Joey Cora were both dismissed, and Glenn Sherlock left for a new opportunity with the Mets.
WHAT CAN WE EXPECT THEM TO DO BEFORE THE SEASON STARTS?
While nothing is guaranteed, these first few days after the lockout are expected to be very busy across the league, and the Pirates should be involved.
Pitching is the most obvious need, especially in the bullpen, which is particularly thin outside of David Bednar and Chris Stratton.
Finding a backup for Pérez is also on the to-do list. Last year’s backup Michael Pérez cleared waivers, giving himself another chance to make the team as a non-roster free agent. Jamie Ritchie signed a minor-league deal this winter, and while the 28-year-old has yet to crack the majors, he has posted strong offensive numbers in Class AAA over the past few seasons. The catching market is thin, and the Pirates don’t have a prospect who is major-league ready yet, though Carter Bins potentially could by midseason.
The real intrigue is with Bryan Reynolds, who is simultaneously an extension and trade candidate for this team. Reynolds expressed his desire to stay in Pittsburgh at the end of last season, and while nothing is imminent on the trade market, his name has popped up often in rumors over the past year, and will almost certainly keep appearing until the Pirates finally make a trade or sign him long-term.
Stratton and Bednar are also potential trade chips, while the Pirates have tried two straight years to sign Ke'Bryan Hayes to an extension. Will they go for the hat trick in 2022?
WHICH PROSPECTS SHOULD BE ON THEIR WAY TO PITTSBURGH?
The aforementioned Cruz and Contreras are the most likely, whether or not they are on the opening day team.
The Pirates selected the contracts of four players this winter: Shortstop Liover Peguero and outfielders Travis Swaggerty, Canaan Smith-Njigba and Jack Suwinski. Peguero, a top 100 prospect, will start the season with Class AA Altoona, and while a potential promotion to the majors is possible, it’s far from guaranteed. The three outfielders should all make their major-league debuts in 2022, with Swaggerty appearing to be the most major-league-ready.
Among non-roster players who could make the jump, first base is thin outside of Tsutsugo, giving Mason Martin a potential path to the majors, assuming he cuts down on the strikeouts. The questions surrounding the pitching staff could open up the door for pitchers like Yerry De Los Santos, Hunter Stratton, Cam Alldred and Cody Bolton.
WHEN DOES EVERYTHING START?
Players will start reporting to training sites Friday and spring training will officially get started on March 13.
Spring training games will start across the league from March 18-20. Tentatively, the Pirates’ first spring game is scheduled for March 18, going off of the original schedule. Adjustments are expected.
Spring training will be about half as long as it normally is, with opening day coming just three and a half weeks after the start of camp. The Pirates will open the regular season in St. Louis on April 7, playing a four-game series with one off-day in between.
The home opener will be April 12 against the Cubs.