MLB reaches new CBA agreement with Umpires Association

Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Umpires Association have reached a tentative five-year collective bargaining agreement that would run through the 2029 season. The prior CBA between MLB and the umpires was set to expire at the end of this month. The new agreement is pending ratification by the 30 MLB clubs and the umpires, with the next steps in the process expected in January.

“It’s a fair contract and the OTC [Office of the Commissioner] treated us with respect throughout the negotiations,” the MLBUA said in a statement. “We understand the role we play in our game and have worked hard to build our relationship into a partnership with open communications. We look forward to the continued positive growth in the game in the years to come.”

Should the new CBA be ratified by the clubs and umpires next month, it will mark the fifth straight five-year deal to be reached before the expiration of the previous agreement. The new deal could also signal a green light for MLB to begin testing the automated ball-strike challenge system during Spring Training. Commissioner Rob Manfred mentioned the possibility during the All-Star break in July, and again following the Owners Meetings in November, though he said it is unlikely that the system will be implemented during the 2025 regular season.

The ABS challenge system, which involves umpires calling balls and strikes in a traditional manner, but with calls subject to challenges by the batting team, has been under experimentation at the Triple-A level since 2022. The system was also used during last summer's All-Star Futures Game in Arlington.