MLB Lockout: Will Worcester Red Sox Season Take A Hit?

WORCESTER, MA — Worcester may have the only game in town this spring.

Major League Baseball on Tuesday canceled the first week of games of the 2022 season set to begin on March 31, including the Boston Red Sox opener that day. But the ongoing labor dispute between the MLB and the players' union won't affect the start of the Worcester Red Sox season.

The WooSox season is still on track for an April 5 start in Jacksonville, Fla., and a home opener on April 12 against Lehigh Valley, the team said after the MLB announcemnet on Tuesday.

"Despite the impact of the work stoppage on Major League Baseball’s season, the WooSox and all of Minor League Baseball have a full season ahead, unaffected by the ongoing situation," the team said in a news release. "We look forward to seeing you at Polar Park on Opening Day, Tuesday, April 12."

The on-time start is especially important for Worcester. The team's inaugural 2021 season was hampered by attendance restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic. Polar Park also wasn't totally complete when the season began last spring, and so wasn't at full capacity even after restrictions lifted in May.

RELATED: Red Sox Season Delayed As MLB Lockout Continues

The WooSox 2022 season will also see the opening of a new 350-space parking garage along Madison Street across from the stadium. The garage could help alleviate parking problems seen during the 2021 season when fans took up spaces meant for Canal District businesses and residents.

Major league players are deadlocked with MLB over items like the competitive balance tax, pre-arbitration bonus pools, minimum salaries and expanded playoffs. This will be the first MLB opening delay since the 1994-95 season.