Major League Baseball and the Players Association (MLBPA) continue to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with plans to meet every day this week, but time is running out to get a deal done to avoid pushing back the regular season after Spring Training was delayed.
The two sides have already agreed to the universal designated hitter and a Draft lottery, but apart from that, they remain at odds over various issues, including the core economics of the sport.
In one of their more recent proposals, MLB proposed to limit the number of times a player could be optioned during a season, but with that they also requested to reduce the number of Minor League players each team could have to 150 beginning in 2023.
This would force each organization to cut 30 players, putting 900 of players out of a job. Now, the league has backtracked on both of those proposals as the union said cutting Minor League jobs was a non-starter for them, via Jesse Rogers of ESPN:
Also on Monday, MLB withdrew its request of the union to control — and potentially reduce — the number of minor league playing jobs, sources told ESPN’s Jeff Passan. The league could try to unilaterally going forward, but it won’t do so in 2022 and at the moment does not have plans to pursue it in 2023. Along with the withdrawal of the minor league playing jobs proposal, MLB pulled its offer limiting the number of times a player can be optioned to five. The constant shuttling between the big leagues and Triple-A is a quality-of-life issue for players, who have proposed a maximum of four options.
While it is positive for the players that MLB will not attempt to cut Minor League jobs over the next two seasons, it could still present trouble down the line if they decide to pursue it again. MLB has already cut ties with 40 team affiliates as they look to reduce costs at the Minor League levels.
It will also be interesting to see if the union continues to pursue limiting the number of times a player can be optioned each season and what they would be willing to give up for it.
Clayton Kershaw receiving MLB lockout updates from Walker Buehler
Although players and team personnel are not permitted to have contact, that of course does not apply to teammates or former teammates.
As such, Clayton Kershaw joked during an appearance on the “Dan Patrick Show” that he somewhat begrudgingly is having to receive updates from Dodgers union representative Walker Buehler.
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