Latest on the negotiations around Major League Baseball’s return
Both Major League Baseball and its players want to play baseball in 2020.
Now, the two sides are figuring out the best way to make it happen.
Players are expected to vote today on the 60-game “jointly developed framework” discussed by Rob Manfred and Tony Clark, which includes expanded playoffs and full pro-rated pay, with the season starting July 19, after owners refused to respond to the PA’s 70-game counterproposal.
— Marly Rivera (@MarlyRiveraESPN) June 20, 2020
The 2020 season was supposed to begin on March 26, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, in addition to figuring out the safest way to move forward with the season, Major League Baseball and Commissioner Rob Manfred are working diligently with the MLB Players Association, led by executive director Tony Clark, to find a deal that satisfies both sides.
MLB stars have a simple message for Rob Manfred about playing the 2020 season. pic.twitter.com/OgtSeHHXfk
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 17, 2020
The owners and players have spent months debating player salaries, postseason structure and season length.
The players want full prorated salaries, meaning they would get paid the same amount per game in a shortened season that they would get paid in a 162-game season. For example, if a player is set to make $20 million in a full season, they would make $10 million if this season were to be 81 games. For that reason, players also want to play as many regular season games as possible.
The owners are proposing fewer regular season games, considering there will be no fans in attendance, meaning there will be no money coming into the ballparks. Instead, the owners are hoping to implement an expanded playoff format, meaning they would pay less prorated salaries and cash in on more lucrative postseason matchups.
Despite their differences, this past week, all indications were that the the two sides seemed to be closing in on a deal.
On Tuesday, Manfred met with Clark to discuss the framework of the latest proposed deal from MLB, and optimism was the general reaction after Manfred released a statement following the meeting.
“I am encouraging the clubs to move forward.”
Good to hear positive words from Rob Manfred right now. pic.twitter.com/dnSJhVJ68C— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) June 17, 2020
Major League Baseball delivered the proposal to Clark and the players on Wednesday.
Source: MLB proposal includes:
•60 games in 70 days
•Season starting July 19th/20th
•Full Prorated Salary
•Expanded Playoffs in 2020 and 2021
•Waiving of any potential grievance— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) June 17, 2020
The sticking point, according to our Ken Rosenthal, would be the 60-game season, which he anticipated the players would counter — as more games means more money for the players based on their prorated salaries.
With that, the MLBPA countered the MLB offer on Thursday with a proposal that included an expanded regular season.
Among the details in MLBPA’s new proposal, sources tell ESPN:
– 70-game season from July 19-Sept. 30
– $50M in playoff bonuses
– 50/50 split of new postseason TV revenues in 2021
– Forgiveness of salary advance for Tier I-III players
– Universal DH
– Mutual waiver of grievance— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 18, 2020
The MLBPA then released a statement.
Major League Baseball Players Association Executive Director Tony Clark today released the following statement: pic.twitter.com/MNAVfzx75C
— MLBPA Communications (@MLBPA_News) June 18, 2020
Rosenthal breaks the whole thing down, saying the number of games played will be critical, and while the two sides aren’t currently close on a deal, they seem to be trending in the right direction.
“I wouldn’t describe it as close right now but at least now they’re talking the same language. What I mean is … the players have insisted upon [full prorated salaries] and the owners kept offering pay cut after pay cut in their proposals. And now, 60 games with full prorated salaries is the owners’ proposal, and 70 games [with full prorated salaries] is the players’ request. So, you would think there would be some room for compromise.”
“At least now they are talking the same language. They are talking about full prorated salaries for the players… Should this work out? Yes it should work out. It should have worked out 2 months ago.”
— @Ken_Rosenthal on latest negotiations between Owners and Players pic.twitter.com/psptHUKXC8
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) June 19, 2020
To be clear, in comparing the latest two proposals, the players want 10 more regular season games equaling $250 million more in total salary. They also want $25 million more in playoff pool funds, and they want the season to end in early November as opposed to late October.
On Friday, MLB said as of now, it will not make another counter-offer, and players will Saturday vote on the 60-game proposal.
MLB has told Players Association it will not make a counter-offer to union’s 70-game proposal, sources tell me and @EvanDrellich. League talking with owners this weekend to discuss its next options moving forward. Last MLB offer: 60 games. Could try to implement in 50-odd range.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) June 19, 2020
In response, the MLBPA released this statement late Friday afternoon.
The Major League Baseball Players Association today released the following statement: pic.twitter.com/XxRDSskBBT
— MLBPA Communications (@MLBPA_News) June 19, 2020
On top of the two sides going back to the drawing board, there is also the issue of the coronavirus – an issue that took a turn on Friday, when five Philadelphia Phillies players and three Phillies staffers tested positive for COVID-19 at the team’s training camp in Clearwater, Florida.
BREAKING: Coronavirus outbreak at Phillies camp — 8 positive tests. Story herehttps://t.co/YhBRXdgksX
— Jim Salisbury (@JSalisburyNBCS) June 19, 2020
In response, the organization issued a press release on Friday.
Phillies statement: pic.twitter.com/kJjl6U7a1l
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) June 19, 2020
The Phillies weren’t the only franchise enduring a coronavirus scare.
The day prior, a Toronto Blue Jays player exhibited COVID-19 symptoms at their training camp in Dunedin, Florida.
The Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday shut down their spring training facility in Dunedin, Fla., after a player exhibited COVID-19 symptoms, sources tell ESPN.
Dunedin is just up the road from Clearwater, where eight people in the Philadelphia Phillies organization tested positive.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 19, 2020
Multiple players working out at the Blue Jays facility said they had not yet been tested. If the player is not an isolated case, testing will ramp up. “We are being overly precautious with testing,” Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins told ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 19, 2020
Then, on Friday, a Houston Astros player tested positive for the virus as well.
An Astros player who has been working out at the complex in West Palm Beach has tested positive for COVID-19. The team said in a release that player experienced minor symptoms and is recovering well.
— Julia Morales (@JuliaMorales) June 19, 2020
With the positive tests that have come in, according to the New York Post’s Joel Sherman, the MLB is considering hitting the reset button on camps in order to prevent the virus from spreading any further.
Source: with 3 camps having to close today due to COVID-19, MLB is strongly considering closing all 30 camps again to cleanse and re-establish a system in which players will test regularly when they return. Right now there is not a firm protocol for players using the facilities.
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) June 19, 2020
Reports also suggest that the league is considering adopting a “bubble” format, similar to the one the NBA has planned for its restart at the end of July.
After 11 players from seven 40-man rosters test positive for coronavirus, MLB is reportedly reconsidering a “bubble” format for the 2020 season https://t.co/nRrjVTvrV0
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) June 19, 2020
This is a developing story. Stay tuned for more updates.
