Praise the Gods. Baseball is back. The dysfunctional clans of owners and players have finally reached an agreement to end the owner-imposed MLB Lockout after nearly 100 miserable days.

Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association have reached a tentative agreement on a new labor deal. While the news is still filtering in, here are some important dates and rule changes to remember.

• Opening Day moves to April 7 and a full 162-game schedule will be played
• Spring training camps open with a March 11 voluntary report date and March 13 mandatory date
• Spring training games start March 17
• Free agency to begin immediately once CBA is ratified
• Playoffs expand to 12 teams, beginning this season
• The National League adopts the designated hitter starting this season
• CBT expected to begin at $230 million and grow to $244 million
• Players are expected to receive their full pay for the 2022 season

There’s going to be information flying in all day. What we do know, is that tonight is going to be madness. With teams able to sign free agents as soon as tonight, we are set up to have the craziest, quickest free agency in the history of Major League Baseball.

Dave Dombrowski had interest in multiple names before the December 2nd lockout, including Kyle Schwarber, Kris Bryant, and Nick Castellanos. While the Phillies still have holes to fill, look for Dave to be active in the short-timed market. Buckle up, the next few days are going to be wild.

PHILLIES BASEBALL IS BACK. 

Mandatory Credit: Getty Images