The 2022 Major League Baseball season (MLB) was originally scheduled to begin on March 31 and end on October 2. The 2021–22 lockout caused the season to be delayed by one week, starting on April 7. The regular season ended on October 5. The start of the season was delayed by a lockout of players, which commenced on December 2, 2021, following the expiration of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the league and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA).^[2] On March 10, 2022, MLB and the MLBPA reached a deal on a five-year CBA, with Opening Day being held on April 7 (delayed from its originally planned March 31), and a full 162-game schedule played. Under the new CBA, universal designated hitter was adopted, the postseason was expanded to 12 teams, and the regular season tie-breaker game was eliminated. In November 2021, the Cleveland Indians announced their new team name, the Cleveland Guardians.^[3] The 2022 MLB All-Star Game was held on July 19 and hosted by the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.^[4]

Lockout

On December 2, 2021, MLB owners voted unanimously to enact a lockout upon the expiration of the 2016 collective bargaining agreement between the league and the players' union. Issues raised between the league and union involved compensation for young players, as well as limitations on tanking to receive higher selections in the MLB draft.

The 2021–22 lockout was the first MLB work stoppage since the 1994–95 strike. It instituted a transaction freeze, including the postponement of the major league portion of the Rule 5 draft. It would be the first year since 1920 to not have a major league phase of the Rule 5 draft, though the minor league phase will still go ahead as scheduled.^[5]

On March 10, 2022, almost 100 days after the beginning of the lockout, MLB and the MLBPA reached a deal on a new, five-year CBA.^[6] Players began reporting to training camps on March 11, spring training began on March 17, and Opening Day on April 7.^[6] The league planned to play a full, 162-game season, and games displaced by the delayed start have been rescheduled.^[7][6]

Changes in the new CBA include a pre-arbitration bonus pool for eligible young players, increased minimum salaries (increasing from $700,000 to $780,000 over the length of the deal), a draft lottery to determine the top six selections in the draft, the establishment of an international draft, and the establishment of a Joint Competition Committee that, in 2023, will oversee the adoption of future rule changes (including base sizes and pitch clocks among others). The National League began adopting the designated hitter on a permanent basis, after having previously used it on a temporary basis during the shortened 2020 season, while the postseason will be expanded to 12 teams.^[6][8]

Schedule

Major League Baseball released its 2022 regular season schedule on August 4, 2021. As has been the case since 2013, all teams play their four division opponents 19 times each for a total of 76 games, play six or seven games against each of the other ten same-league opponents for a total of 66 games, and 20 interleague games. Interleague play will feature AL East vs. NL Central, AL Central vs. NL West, and AL West vs. NL East.^[9][10]

The MLB at Field of Dreams game returned for a second year, featuring the Chicago Cubs and the Cincinnati Reds at the purpose-built ballpark in Dyersville, Iowa, on August 11.^[11] The Cubs won the game 4–2.

The annual MLB Little League Classic featured the Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles at Bowman Field in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, on August 21.^[12] The Orioles won the game 5–3.

Both Canada and the United States have travel restrictions for individuals who are not vaccinated against the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19. Each requires incoming travelers who are not citizens to have received a full course of an approved COVID-19 vaccine no later than 14 days before entry into the respective country.^[13][14]

Rule changes

On March 10, Major League Baseball announced the following rule changes for the 2022 season:^[15]

• The temporary rule for the 2020 and 2021 seasons that had doubleheaders played as seven-inning games was repealed.
• The National League adopted the designated hitter full-time. The NL previously adopted the rule temporarily in 2020 before removing it for the 2021 season.
• Tie-breaker games at the end of the season have been eliminated and replaced with statistical tiebreakers.
• The playoff system has been changed:
  • Twelve teams qualify for the postseason, with the division winners seeded 1 through 3, and three wild cards seeded 4 through 6 in their respective leagues.
  • The top two seeds in each league will receive a bye into the Division Series.
  • The lowest-seeded division winner and three wild card teams (each seeded according to regular season record), will play a best-of-three Wild Card round, with the higher seed hosting all three games. The 3-seed will play the 6-seed, and the 4-seed will play the 5-seed.
  • There is no re-seeding of the bracket. The 1-seed will play the winner of the 4-seed/5-seed series, and the 2-seed will play the winner of the 3-seed/6-seed series in the Division Series.

On March 22, MLB introduced a set of temporary rules for 2022:^[16]

• If a team voluntarily waives the designated hitter spot so that its starting pitcher can be in the batting order, that pitcher can remain in the game as a designated hitter after being replaced by a relief pitcher. This was colloquially called the "Ohtani rule" after rare two-way player Shohei Ohtani.
• The rule establishing an automatic runner^[17] on second base to start each extra inning in regular season games, previously repealed on March 10, was reinstated.
• Rosters were expanded from 26 players to 28 players until May 2, due to the shortened spring training.^[18]

On April 5, the league announced that all teams may use PitchCom, a wireless system for catchers to request pitches by type and location. PitchCom is intended to reduce the risk of sign stealing and to quicken the pace of play.^[19]

On April 26, the league announced that limiting rosters to 13 pitchers had been delayed until May 30, allowing teams to carry up to 14 pitchers until then.^[18] The 13-pitcher limit was later delayed again, becoming effective June 20.^[20]

Spring training

Spring training for the 2022 season began later than usual due to the lockout, beginning in mid March and lasted into early April. Teams began workouts and practice for spring training beginning in late February. Pitchers and catchers reported first, followed by position players a few days later.^[21]

Prior to the start of the regular season, each team played between 14 and 22 spring training games, beginning on March 17. Games were initially supposed to begin on February 27. There were several times during spring training where a team had two different squads playing different teams simultaneously. Due to the lockout, the usually occasional exhibition games with non-MLB teams, such as Minor League Baseball teams, independent teams, or college teams did not occur. Spring training ended on April 6, the day before the Opening Day.

Standings