MLB Lockout 2026: Dec. 1 Deadline and the Best Free Agents by NUT
MLB Lockout 2026: The Dec. 1 Deadline
MLB’s labor deal expires December 1, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET, and most coverage expects a lockout if there is no new deal. As of November 2 no deal had been reached and no lockout had been declared.
A lockout is the owners’ move, not a player strike. It freezes the offseason at the top of the market, so the free agents who sign before the deadline and those who wait get very different winters.
What a Lockout Freezes
What Happened in 2021-22
The last deal expired December 1, 2021, and the league locked players out that night. It lasted 99 days and ended March 10, 2022. Clubs signed free agents fast before the deadline: Corey Seager and Marcus Semien went to Texas and Max Scherzer to the Mets in the final days. Opening Day moved back a week to April 7, and clubs still played 162 games.
Best Unsigned Free Agents by NUT
The best free agents still unsigned as of November 2, 2026, by 2026 season NUT. This list updates as players sign.
NUT measures what a player did in 2026, not his age, health or contract. All 143 free agents ranked by NUT, every signing as it happens, or add one to your club’s lineup.
Quick Answers
When does the MLB labor deal expire?
December 1, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET. The owners can lock players out once it expires, and in 2021 they did so that same night.
What does an MLB lockout stop?
Free agent signings and trades of major league players, and contact between clubs and players on major league rosters. They restart when a new deal is reached.
How long was the last MLB lockout?
99 days, from December 2, 2021, to March 10, 2022. Opening Day moved to April 7 and the full 162-game season was still played.
Will a lockout affect 2027 Opening Day?
Only if it runs into spring. Opening Day is scheduled for March 25, 2027, and the 2021-22 lockout pushed that year’s Opening Day back by a week.