Facing a soft deadline of early June, Major League Baseball and the Players Association have been in regular communication as they attempt to finalize an agreement for the 2020 regular season.
The two sides are not only far apart on health and safety protocols, but they also have work to do as it pertains to an economic plan.
Team owners are calling for players to accept further pay cuts based on a sliding scale, in which those that make the most money would see the biggest salary reduction.
Livid with the offer, the union is prepared to counter with the original financial terms agreed upon in March, which guaranteed that players would receive prorated salaries based on the number of games this season.
The Players Associated also plans to ask MLB to expand on its proposed 82-game regular season, eyeing something in the 100-game range.
There is a belief that if the two sides can compromise on the length of a potential 2020 campaign, then players may be more open to accepting additional pay cuts, via Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drellich of The Athletic:
One potential compromise might be for players to be paid for 81 games while playing a season in the 100-game range — an idea some players have discussed loosely, according to a source with knowledge of those talks.
While MLB and the Players Association have struggled to find common ground on an economic plan, it is clear they are also in disagreement over how many games a 2020 regular season will consist of.
Team owners prefer half a season’s worth in terms of a schedule for each club, as it would limit potential financial losses in the event fans cannot attend this season.
Players, meanwhile, hope to play in as many games as possible to maximize their salaries. But if the two sides agree to extend the season, the union would keep with accepting prorated salaries for only 82 games — essentially making any games beyond that point ‘free.’
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