MLB Proposes Overhaul of Offseason Calendar and Roster Rules

Major League Baseball presented owners’ proposals that would reshape the offseason schedule. Free agency would open at the start of the Winter Meetings in early December and close after a brief three-week period. A subsequent “frozen period” would prohibit all free-agent signings and trades until the first Monday of February, when spring training begins. The league also suggested banning trades during the gap between the two free-agent windows.

Bleacher Report

The current collective bargaining agreement (CBA) allows free agents to negotiate five days after the World Series and sign at any time thereafter. MLB’s latest offer ties the new calendar to a salary-cap-and-floor system, which the owners say would increase roster stability and fan engagement. The proposal arrives as the existing CBA is set to expire on December 1, prompting intensified negotiations between the league and the players’ union.

New York Times

• Weekly rosters: Teams would set a 26-man roster each Monday; a player placed on the roster on Monday must remain there until the following Monday unless moved to the injured list.

New York Times

• Injury list changes: Position players would serve a minimum one-week stint; pitchers would serve a minimum two-week stint, counted in Monday-to-Monday blocks.

New York Times

• Pitcher limit: The active roster could carry 14 pitchers, up from the current 13.

ESPN

• Minor-league options: The maximum would be reduced to four per season, down from five.

ESPN

• Rule 5 draft: Eligibility would shift to an earlier point in a player’s career, and selected players could be optioned to the minors while remaining under the drafting team’s control.

New York Times

• Current usage: MLB reports teams average 13.9 pitchers per week, using minor-league options to refresh arms.

ESPN

• Historical November signings: In the most recent four offseasons, the number of high-profile free agents who signed in November rose from one to eight.

Bleacher Report

The current CBA expires at 11:59 p.m. ET on December 1. If the two sides fail to reach an agreement by that deadline, owners are expected to initiate a lockout, which could suspend offseason activities and potentially cancel regular-season games if negotiations extend into the spring. Both parties have indicated ongoing weekly meetings, but the central dispute over a salary-cap system remains unresolved.

ESPN