MLB lockout: What is it, how long will it last and when did it last happen?

Major League Baseball has entered a lockout after failing to agree a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the MLB Players Association.

While the shutdown is happening, teams cannot sign, trade, release or communicate with players.

It is currently unclear how long the situation will last and although there appears to be no quick solution, there is no immediate threat to the 2022 season, scheduled to begin on 31 March.

Since the 1994-95 players' strike, which forced the cancellation of the World Series, the league and the MLBPA have agreed five successive CBAs without a lockout.

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