In the latest back-and-forth between Major League Baseball owners and players over a potential 2020 season, the players union on Tuesday submitted a proposal to owners outlining what would be an 89-game season, multiple media outlets reported.
According to the reports, the MLB Players Association plan calls for fully prorated salaries and includes two years of expanded playoffs. However, multiple reports also indicated the plan is expected to be rejected by owners.
MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reported that one ownership source’s reaction to the proposal was, “We’re nowhere.”
The move comes a day after owners reportedly proposed a 76-game season in which players would be paid 75 percent of their prorated salaries, and only 50 percent if there wasn’t a full postseason. That plan was widely expected to be rejected by players.
Details such as playoff-pool money and draft-pick compensation in the players’ proposal have not yet been reported, but the New York Post’s Joel Sherman reported the regular season would run July 10 through Oct. 11, meaning the playoffs would not begin until around the time the NBA postseason is expected to end.
However, ESPN’s Jeff Passan added that the owners are “entrenched” in ending the regular season by Sept. 27 — the final date in the owners’ reported Monday proposal. According to Passan, TV networks don’t want to switch the playoff dates.
The 2020 regular season was supposed to begin on March 26, but spring training was halted March 12 due to the spread of the coronavirus, and teams have yet to reconvene. The two sides have made numerous offers and counteroffers regarding the on-hold season.
–Field Level Media
