Biggest MLB offseason questions: How long will lockout last? Will we see a free agency frenzy?

Not so long ago, the Milwaukee Brewers were crowned World Series champions, and at the moment of the last out, the 2026-27 Major League offseason began. So let's talk about that.

The winter ahead is one shot through with uncertainty, as labor strife figures to roil the sport and perhaps even compromise the 2027 season. Those matters, vital as they are, won't be the only story, and we'll still have the familiar presences of free agency and trade talk to sustain us.

To set the scene for all that's ahead in advance of the 2027 campaign – good, ill, or somewhere in the middle – we're here to take a look at the five questions that will inform an offseason that's going to be quite unusual and – for good, ill, or somewhere in the middle – probably unforgettable. Let's explore those five queries right now …

The current collective bargaining agreement – or CBA, the accord that governs the working relationship between clubs/owners and players – is set to expire at 11:59 p.m. ET on Dec. 1 of this year. At that time, MLB owners are all but certain to lock out the players. That's a labor stoppage, and…

Original source: https://www.cbssports.com/