Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association finally seem to be making progress toward an agreement for the 2020 season, and the latest proposal from the union may wind up being the final one.
MLB made a proposal on Wednesday that included a 60-game season with full prorated salaries for players. There was speculation that the MLBPA could counter and ask for some more games, and ESPN’s Jeff Passan and Jesse Rogers reported on Thursday that the union is finalizing a proposal that calls for somewhere in the neighborhood of 70 games.
The MLBPA’s proposal to MLB is for 70 games, sources tell ESPN, and includes a split of playoff revenues.
While the league is unlikely to accept this proposal, it’s close enough for optimism there will be a season — whether it’s via a deal or MLB setting a shorter schedule.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 18, 2020
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said Wednesday that the league and the players’ union have the framework in place for an agreement, so adding another 10 or so games onto the 60 that MLB proposed should not be a deal-breaker. While Passan does not expect MLB to accept the counter-offer, there appears to finally be some positive momentum.
Manfred angered players earlier in the week when he said he is not confident there will be a 2020 season, but that may have been a negotiating tactic. Between pressure from fans and some of the league’s biggest stars, both MLB and the MLBPA should be feeling a sense of urgency to get something done.
