MLB throws players a free agency bone

Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association announced specific procedural changes involving free agency Thursday that'll impact the next two offseasons, MLB.com reports.

As part of the agreement, players will no longer be required to file for free agency - instead, it'll become an automatic process. Free agents will now be able to negotiate with any team five days after the end of the World Series, rather than 15 days after; and clubs must tender player contracts by December 2, nine days earlier than the previous deadline.

The changes come after the MLBPA addressed issues pertaining to how the free agent market was handled during the 2008 and 2009 offseasons.

"The resolution of this matter is part of our ongoing efforts to keep baseball's labor relations as positive as possible as we approach the next round of bargaining," said Rob Manfred, MLB's executive vice president for labor affairs and human resources.