Red Sox Season Delayed As MLB Lockout Continues

BOSTON — The Red Sox season will be delayed along with the rest of Major League Baseball after the players and owners could not come to a labor agreement Tuesday, continuing a lockout that is stretching into its fourth month.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred announced the first week of games are canceled in a Tuesday evening press conference in Florida. The canceled games are not expected to be rescheduled.

Boston was scheduled to start its season March 31 at Fenway Park with Tampa Bay, a three-game set against the Rays followed by three more at home against Baltimore.

It's unknown how many games will be canceled before an agreement is reached. The Red Sox are scheduled to play their annual Patriots Day game April 18 against Minnesota at 11 a.m., just a short walk from the Boston Marathon finish line.

It will be the first time baseball has missed games outside of the pandemic since the 1994-95 strike, which included canceling the 1994 World Series. Before that it was the 1981 strike.

Major League Baseball extended its deadline to reach an agreement with the Major League Baseball Players Association by one day before announcing games would be missed. MLB reportedly offered its "best" offer Tuesday afternoon, which the players rejected.

Among the major points of contention are the competitive balance tax, pre-arbitration bonus pools, minimum salaries and expanded playoffs.