Players Reject Proposal, MLB Prepares To Implement Season

Major League Baseball announced Monday it will implement a season at a length of its choosing while paying players their full prorated salaries, as permitted by the March 26 agreement between the league and the players union.

The announcement followed weeks of negotiations between the two sides to modify the terms of the March agreement that governed baseball’s operating procedures under the coronavirus pandemic.

The league initially sought in negotiations for players to receive only a percentage of their prorated salaries, while players insisted on receiving full prorated salaries, per the initial agreement. A key point of contention was whether that stipulation for full pro rata remained in effect even if fans were not allowed to attend games. The league eventually offered players full prorated salaries in its most recent proposal last week but for a season of only 60 games, shorter than any of its previous proposals.

Players countered that offer with a proposal for a 70-game season, to which the league did not respond. Player representatives reportedly voted down the league’s 60-game proposal, 33-5, earlier Monday. Shortly after, MLB released a statement announcing the 30 clubs had “unanimously voted to proceed with the 2020 season under the terms of the March agreement”—meaning the league implementing a season length of its choosing while players receive full prorated salaries.

As such, barring any last-minute developments, baseball will largely be played in 2020 under the same rules it has for years. Proposed changes such as an expanded postseason field and advertisements on uniforms were not part of the March agreement and could only be implemented via the union’s assent as part of a modified agreement. The failure to reach a deal means none of those provisions will be put into effect. Implementing the designated hitter in the National League could still be done as part of the league’s health and safety protocols.

The union also retains the right to file a grievance against the league regarding the season length or the overall negotiations, a possibility the owners sought to avoid by coming to an agreement with the union.

Instead, it will be the league implementing the schedule of its choosing pending two developments.

MLB said in its statement it has asked the union for two pieces of information before determining a schedule: If players can report to spring training by July 1, and whether the union will agree to the proposed Operating Manual that governs health and safety protocols for resuming play amidst the pandemic.

The league requested the union provide its answers by 5 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Once the league has that information, it intends to announce the length of the season and its start date.