Major League Baseball has locked out its players for the first time since 1990 after club owners and players failed to reach a new collective bargaining agreement before a midnight deadline. The lockout bans team officials from contacting players, and prohibits clubs from making major league signings. In a letter to fans posted, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred wrote that the lockdown is the “best mechanism to protect the 2022 season... This defensive lockout was necessary because the Players Association’s vision for Major League Baseball would threaten the ability of most teams to be competitive.” However, the players’ union strongly disagreed that a lockout was needed, writing in its own statement: “This shutdown is a dramatic measure, regardless of the timing. It is not required by law or for any other reason. It was the owners’ choice, plain and simple, specifically calculated to pressure players into relinquishing rights and benefits, and abandoning good faith bargaining proposals that will benefit not just players, but the game and industry as a whole.”