Opening Day is Around the Corner

The 2022 MLB season is set to begin after a rollercoaster offseason

Baseball is officially back, and Opening Day is on the horizon. Spring Training is fully underway after a whirlwind of an off-season. Over the past three months, the baseball world saw many notable events when it came to big free agency moves.

But before any such moves could be made, Major League Baseball (MLB) owners and players had to agree on a new collective bargaining agreement in order to play the 2022 season.

After months of disagreements, a lockout stalled the offseason and hit pause on the start of official play. The 99-day lockout stands out as the second-longest stoppage of baseball since the 1994-95 players' strike. One of the main factors that led to the lockout was the stagnant luxury tax that MLB owners had proposed which would limit the salary players could be offered. The MLB Players’ Association (MLBPA) disagreed with the proposed offer as it would have led to lower salaries, most of which have already been on the decline since 2017. Nevertheless, the MLB and MLBPA struck a deal Thursday, March 10, coming to an agreement increasing the minimum tax threshold from $230 million in 2022 to $244 million in 2026. Lastly, the agreement extended playoffs to 12 teams, giving the two division winners with the best record a bye in the first round. The deal is set to last until 2026.

The 99-day lockout crammed spring training and free agency movements into the four weeks before Opening Day. The lockout also forced more doubleheader matchups to be added to the schedule and pushed Opening Day from March 31 to April 7.

After the lockout ended, many big-name players saw themselves on new teams or new contracts. These names include former 2020 NL MVP Freddie Freeman who signed a six-year, $160 million contract with the Dodgers; former World Series MVP Corey Seager, who signed a 10 year, $325 million contract from the Texas Rangers; and Carlos Correa, who is headed to the Minnesota Twins after signing second biggest contract of the offseason structured at three years, $105.3 million.

Hitting closer to home with player trades, the San Francisco Giants lost Kris Bryant to division rival Colorado Rockies. Bryant had a short-lived tenure with the Giants, as they traded for him midway through the 2021 season. The most recent notable signing for the Giants brings Palo Alto-native left fielder Joc Pederson back home.

More importantly for the Giants, long-time catcher and team legend Buster Posey retired after 12 years with the franchise. Posey was drafted by the Giants in 2009 and won three World Series titles in his 12-year tenure with them (2010, 2012, 2014). Giants players and fans alike will miss his contributions to the team and keep his legacy alive for decades to come.

The rest of the Giants roster stayed mostly intact, with veterans Brandon Belt, Brandon Crawford, and Evan Longoria returning to the team and projected to show up as leaders in the 2022 season. Team ace Logan Webb also returns with new rotation mates in recently-signed Carlos Rodon and Alex Cobb.

In the 2021 season, the Giants shocked the world with a 107-win season, consisting of a roster projected to only reach the 70-win mark.. Sadly, their season ended with a loss to the Dodgers in the playoff National League (NL) divisional series. That said, the Giants would love to replicate last season,once again winning the National League West title (NL West) and hopefully go even further.

Nevertheless, it will not be an easy outing, as division rivals made notable moves throughout the offseason. The Los Angeles Dodgers, only two years removed from their World Series victory, reloaded their roster by adding the former NL MVP Freddie Freeman., The Dodgers also lost some notable players, including shortstop Corey Seager and ace pitcher Max Scherzer.

The Dodgers topped off at number one in the preseason power rankings. The Giants held their own in the power rankings coming out at number nine, and the San Diego Padres ranked one spot behind at number ten. The Colorado Rockies (27th) and Arizona Diamondbacks (28th) ranked at the bottom of the league. But, if last season taught us anything, we should take these power rankings with a grain of salt.

Spring training is set to wrap up on April 5 as the team prepares for Opening Day on April 7th. The Giants will host the Marlins on April 8, with Logan Webb set to make his first start of the year. The game will be at Oracle Park, with the first pitch set to be thrown at 1:35 p.m. PST.