Sep 28, 2021; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford (3) slides into third to advance on a sacrifice fly against the Oakland Athletics during the third inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Feb 3 (Reuters) - Major League Baseball has requested immediate assistance of a federal mediator to help resolve its player lockout, ESPN reported on Thursday, citing sources.

Players have been locked out since early December amid a labor dispute that has put the mid-February reporting date for Spring Training in jeopardy.

Under MLB's request, the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service would help assist with the proceedings by potentially inserting the presence of a neutral party.

Major League Baseball Players Association would still need to agree to the involvement of a third party.

The sides met this week but no deal has been reached on a new collective bargaining agreement.

Areas of dispute include owners and players not agreeing on service time toward free agency, playoff expansion, a luxury tax and possible salary floor, and several proposed rule changes.

The sport's last labor dispute in 1994 cost baseball that year's World Series, tens of millions of dollars in revenue and the goodwill of many fans.

MLB's 162-game regular season is supposed to begin on March 31.

Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles Editing by Matthew Lewis

Source: Reuters

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