Could an MLB players strike come in the middle of the 2019 season?

Share

When Red Sox spring training opened earlier this week, staff ace Chris Sale was candid about his own future in Boston, but also baffled that former closer Craig Kimbrel was still on the free agency market.

"It’s crazy to me,” Sale told reporters on Wednesday. “I don’t want to get too far into it with the politics of baseball and all that stuff, but [Kimbrel’s] as good as it gets. He 100 percent makes any team better that he plays for, right? And it’s crazy to think that there really hasn’t been a whole lot of traction with him."

And Kimbrel is far from the only. It's mind-boggling to think that two of baseball's biggest superstars, Bryce Harper and Manny Machado, are still on the market as camps break -- and they're just two of more than 100 still out there unsigned. That could have long-term consquences, as St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright told Inside STL's Tim McKernan:

A mid-season walk-out could be a coup de grace for a sport already struggling with issues of ratings declines, falling attendance and players' marketability.

Click here to download the new MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Celtics easily on your device.

Contact Us