Cleveland Guardians Opening Day pushed back again as MLB negotiations break down

The beginning of the Guardians era will have to wait a little longer.

Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association on Wednesday failed to reach a deal on the next Collective Bargaining Agreement. As a result, MLB canceled another two series. The league had already cancelled the first week of games when a deal couldn't be reached on March 1.

“Because of the logistical realities of the calendar, another two series are being removed from the schedule, meaning that Opening Day is postponed until April 14th," MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. "We have the utmost respect for our players and hope they will ultimately choose to accept the fair agreement they have been offered.”

Cleveland Guardians home opener pushed to April 15

As a result of the cancellations, the Guardians are now scheduled to open the 2022 regular season at home on April 15 against the San Francisco Giants. Of course, that is assuming there are no more cancellations, which is a possibility as the owners and players continue to negotiate. The Guardians were originally set to open the season on March 31 against the Kansas City Royals.

Owners' lockout nearing 100-day mark

The owners' lockout of the players was instituted on Dec. 2. The owners then waited more than 40 days to offer their first proposal, which played into the cancellation of games, as the two sides made little progress over the winter.

The MLBPA released a statement on Wednesday night following the announcement.

"The owners' decision to cancel additional games is completely unnecessary," the statement reads. "After making a set of comprehensive proposals to the league earlier this afternoon, and being told substantive responses were forthcoming, players have yet to hear back. Players want to play, and we cannot wait to get back on the field for the best fans in the world. Our top priority remains the finalization of a fair contract for all players, and we will continue negotiations toward that end."

The CBA negotiations have largely revolved around the economic systems of baseball, as well as the players wanting to de-incentivize teams from tanking or manipulating service time. It was widely reported on Wednesday that at least some progress had been made on many of those major economic issues. But the owners were reportedly adamant on implementing an international player draft as part of this CBA, and it became a major roadblock toward any chance of having a 162-game season.

Lewis: Don't forget who locked the doors in this lockout

The league had already cancelled a week of games prior to Wednesday's announcement, but it still would have been possible to fit 162 games into the schedule. That is likely no longer a possibility.

"In a last-ditch effort to preserve a 162-game season, this week we had made good-faith proposals that addressed the specific concerns voiced by the MLBPA and would have allowed the players to return to the field immediately," Manfred said. "The clubs went to extraordinary lengths to meet the substantial demands of the MLBPA. On the key economic issues that have posed stumbling blocks, the clubs proposed ways to bridge gaps to preserve a full schedule. Regrettably, after our second late-night bargaining session in a week, we remain without a deal."

Manfred, during the initial announcement last week that MLB was cancelling the first week of games, likely didn't help matters from a perception standpoint, as he laughed multiple times during the press conference.

Ryan Lewis can be reached at rlewis@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Guardians at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/cleveland-guardians. Follow him on Twitter at @ByRyanLewis.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Guardians Opening Day pushed back again as MLB negotiations break down