Potential Lockout Will Not Pause NPB Negotiating Window

Key Points:

• Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) players posted to MLB teams have a 45-day negotiation window, which will remain unchanged even if a lockout begins in December, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
• Unlike the 2021-22 lockout, when the negotiating window was paused and extended after a new CBA was reached, MLB will not adjust the timeframe this offseason if a lockout occurs, meaning posted players will have about 30 days to secure MLB contracts before returning to NPB.
• Recently posted players include third baseman Teruaki Sato, who is a top hitter with a Triple Crown and potential MVP award, and pitchers Hiromi Itoh and Kaima Taira, both of whom have demonstrated strong performances and awards in Japan.
• MLB teams signing NPB players must pay posting fees based on contract value: 20% for deals up to $25 million, 17.5% for the next $25 million, and 15% for amounts exceeding $50 million.
• The league and players must agree on a new collective bargaining agreement by December 1 to avoid a lockout that would freeze all transactions, impacting the ability of posted NPB players to negotiate with MLB teams.