Beat the 2027 Lockout - Head to Japan with Home Run Travel -

MLB’s current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) expires on 1 December 2026, which means the countdown is officially on. If owners and the MLB Players Association don’t strike a new deal by then, we’re staring straight down the barrel of a lockout — aka owners legally preventing players from doing their jobs. Very cool. Very normal.

What do the owners want? A salary cap. Because, as we all know, nothing screams free-market capitalism quite like putting an upper limit on how much your employees are allowed to earn.

The MLBPA, meanwhile, is doing the radical thing of asking for:

Higher minimum salaries
Better pay for younger and pre-arbitration players
Fairer service-time and arbitration rules
Stronger Competitive Balance Tax protections
Improved revenue sharing
And more player involvement in league-wide decision-making

Absolute madness, clearly.

According to Evan Drellich of The Athletic, there is 100% certainty that the owners will push hard for a salary cap. Which means, unless the players fold (they shouldn’t, but they probably will), the 2027 season is very much in the firing line.

So yes, the vibes are… not great.

But fear not. If MLB decides to set fire to its own product (again), there are still incredible ways to get your fix.

Enter: Home Run Travel.

Let’s be crystal clear up front: Bat Flips & Nerds get absolutely nothing for promoting this. No kickbacks. No freebies. No dodgy back-room handshake deals. We’re just genuinely buzzing to see other Brits going all-in on growing baseball culture over here.

With trips already planned to the World Baseball Classic in Houston and a Rust Belt Road Trip taking in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, and Pittsburgh, Home Run Travel is – tired baseball cliché warning – absolutely knocking it out of the park.

And now? They’re levelling up.

Their next big adventure heads to one of the most passionate baseball nations on the planet: Japan.

Japanese baseball is elite — tactically sharp, emotionally charged, and utterly unforgettable. The global spotlight has only grown brighter in recent years, thanks to MLB superstars and Japan’s incredible World Baseball Classic triumph. And the atmosphere? Unreal. Full-voice chanting. Organised cheering sections. Drums. Banners. Food that’s not just good, but central to the experience.

Side note: Check out our World Baseball Classic primer. Bat Flips & Nerds coverage of the tournament will be immense this year… if I say so myself.

A game in Japan doesn’t feel like baseball in the States. It feels like something else entirely — louder, warmer, and somehow more intimate, even in massive stadiums.

And then there’s Japan itself. Historic temples. Neon-soaked city nights. Ridiculously good food. The best rail system on Earth. Every city feels like a different world, which is exactly why this tour rules.

This is very much a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Planning is still in the early stages, but the tour is expected to run mid to late May 2027. The provisional route includes Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Hiroshima, with direct flights, hand-picked hotels, rail travel between cities, and multiple games included.

NPB action in Japan where Home Run Tours are destined

A quick note: teams and ballparks aren’t locked in yet, but the aim is to include six games across the trip.

Spaces will be strictly limited. Registering your interest now gets you first access to the full itinerary, early pricing, and the booking window before it goes public.

And if the phrase “Rust Belt Road Trip” earlier made your ears prick up – yeah, it did mine – check out the itinerary below when Home Run Travel heads into baseball’s industrial heartland in 2026.

This region is drenched in baseball history, with iconic franchises, obsessive fanbases, and some of the most beautiful ballparks in the game. Over nine days, they’ll roll from Cincinnati to Detroit to Cleveland to Pittsburgh, taking in four Major League games, plus a night of Minor League baseball for that pure, grassroots charm.

It’s the perfect blend of sport, culture, and camaraderie, whether you’re a seasoned baseball traveller or jumping on your first ever tour.

Whether you’re on a Home Run Travel tour this year or next, or independently heading to a ballgame, tag us in your socials — we love seeing baseball adventures in the wild.