The 2022 Major Baseball League (MLB) will be shortened if the teams and the players association (MLBPA) cannot reach a deal over collective bargaining agreement (CBA) before the deadline on February 28, the major league announced on Wednesday.

"A deadline is a deadline," the MLB spokesperson said. "Missed games are missed games. Salary will not be paid for those games."

The league gave the players' side the deadline two weeks ago to allow enough time for one month of spring training before the regular season begins on March 31. However, the MLBPA has never acknowledged the deadline.

According to ESPN, the two sides had "vigorous" dialogue during five hours of negotiations on Wednesday but didn't come much closer to reaching an agreement.

The MLBPA compromised by asking for 75 percent instead of 80 percent of the players to enter arbitration after two years of service in the league. But they requested $775,000 for minimum salary next season against $640,000 offered by the teams.

The teams added $20 million to the proposed bonus pool for pre-arbitration players, up from an initial $5 million. However, the players wanted $115 million. As for the ratio of players to enter salary arbitration, the ratio in the previous CBA was 22 percent. The teams said they don't have the votes to expand the ratio. As a result, the players won't get it no matter what they ask for.

The two sides also disagree on balance tax, revenue sharing, service-time manipulation and the draft, among many other issues. Therefore, it seems highly unlikely that the 2022 regular season will have 162 games.

The last time the MLB had a shortened season was in 2020, due to COVID-19. It was a 60-game season, and a lot of unexpected things happened.