Major League Baseball pushed back the start of free agency one day because of ongoing collective bargaining negotiations, MLB commissioner Bud Selig announced.
The annual free-agency period will begin 24 hours later, Selig said Friday prior to Game 7 of the World Series, according to MLB.com.
Representatives for MLB and the players union reportedly met this week and hope to have a draft of a new agreement in place by next Friday.
"[The talks] have been quiet, they've been thoughtful, and they've been constructive on both sides," Selig said. "We've come a long way."
Under new rules unveiled last year, free-agent eligible players no longer have to file, according to MLB.com. They automatically become free agents at midnight ET after the final game of the World Series.
That date was pushed back to 12:01 a.m. Sunday ET, followed by a five-day period in which teams have exclusive rights to make offers to their players. Other teams can make contact, but cannot tender formal offers until 12:01 a.m. Thursday.
