Leading Dem plays hardball with MLB as owners' lockout of baseball players drags on

The number two Democrat in the U.S. Senate launched a brushback pitch aimed at Major League Baseball owners on Wednesday.

"Enough," Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) posted to Twitter.

"After almost 100 days of the MLB lockout, it’s time to reconsider MLB’s special antitrust exemption, which allows them to act as a lawful monopoly," he threatened.

"Fans across America deserve better. Message to the owners: unlock the lockout and play ball," Durbin counseled.

Since 1922, Major League Baseball has had an antitrust exemption. In 2021, Forbes reported on why the exemption was still important to owners.

"First, without an antitrust exemption, Major League Baseball would not likely be allowed to continue its efforts to contract minor league baseball teams," Forbesreported. "Second, taking away baseball’s antitrust exemption would also likely prevent Major League Baseball teams from collectively assigning their trademark rights to a central league office for the purposes of granting exclusive league-wide licenses for apparel manufacturing."