MLB owners ratify labour deal in 29-1 vote

NEW YORK – A person with knowledge of the meeting says baseball owners have ratified the sport’s new collective bargaining agreement by a 29-1 vote.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity because no announcement was made, the person says Tampa Bay Rays managing general partner Stuart Sternberg was the lone dissenting vote during the telephone meeting Tuesday. Sternberg declined comment in an email to the AP.

Players also had been scheduled to hold a ratification vote.

The five-year deal was agreed to Nov. 30, about 3 1/2 hours before the expiration of the previous contract.

The agreement raises the luxury tax thresholds, increases some of the tax rates, imposes a hard cap on signing bonuses for international amateurs and bans smokeless tobacco for players who do not already have major league service. It also eliminates the provision that gave World Series home-field advantage to the All-Star winner and bans rookie hazing that includes costumes as women.