Major League Baseball (MLB) and the MLB Players Association (MLBPA) announced a preliminary agreement on Tuesday afternoon. The new agreement should hold through until the 2016 season. The current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between MLB and the MLBPA was due to expire on December 11th.

Here is the quick and dirty version of the updates that were announced in the preliminary labor deal on Tuesday afternoon:

-The Houston Astros will shift from the National League Central division to the American League West division for the 2013 season, resulting in an equal 15 teams per league.

-There will be a luxury tax for teams that spend a sum to be named later on players through the first year player draft.

-Updated draft-pick compensation for teams that sign free-agents.

-Blood testing for HGH will commence as early as spring, and a player’s first failed blood test will result in a 50-game suspension.

-The minimum salary will be raised from $414,000 in 2011 to $480,000 in 2012.

-For the playoffs as early as the 2012 season, there will be two additional Wild Card teams. The two Wild Card teams will likely play one another in a one-game playoff to determine which team will advance to the Division Series in their league.

Source: MLB.com