Report: MLB owners considering locking out players if no agreement on new CBA

The current collective bargaining agreement ends Dec. 1, and a lockout could ensue if a new agreement isn't reached before that deadline.

Baseball owners will consider voting to lock out the players if the union and MLB can't reach agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement, reports Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal.

The current collective bargaining agreement ends Dec. 1.

The winter meetings are scheduled to take place from Dec. 4 to Dec. 8, but signings of free-agents would be put on hold until a new CBA is agreed upon.

According to the report, owners are frustrated with the union over the slow pace of the discussions.

One of the issues that remains contentious between the two sides is eliminating direct draft-pick compensation in free agency in exchange for the right to implement an international draft. The union rejected the proposal, saying it doesn't want an international draft.

“We don’t negotiate in the press,” commissioner Rob Manfred said. “We remain committed to the idea that we’re going to make an agreement before expiration.”

The two sides also disagree with possible changes with the Joint Drug Agreement. The report says that players want a stronger program during the season. 

– Scooby Axson