Report: Players union blocking posting system agreement between MLB, NPB

Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball came to a "tentative agreement" on a new framework for its posting system on Wednesday and delivered it to the MLB Players Association for approval. The union, however, is apparently not ready to sign off.

The union's decision could delay Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani from being posted, sources tell FanRag Sports' Jon Heyman.

"The union is holding up the posting agreement," one source said. "The union is making demands."

Related: MLB expects posting agreement with Japanese league by early December

If Ohtani were to be posted under the agreement, his Japanese club - the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters - would receive a $20-million posting fee. Ohtani would be limited to a signing bonus between $300,000 and $3.53 million on top of signing a minor-league deal.

Related: Financial spat could prevent Ohtani from jumping to MLB in 2018

While MLB and NPB were both hopeful a deal could be approved in December, the Players Association may hold things up. As of Wednesday evening, they are at a "standstill."

If Ohtani's leap to MLB is pushed back two years, he would be able to pursue any deal without restrictions related to the posting system.