As sports begin to return after more than three months off due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, negotiations between Major League Baseball and its Players Association have been anything but smooth.
The two sides have been going back and forth for weeks without being able to come to an agreement, mostly on financial matters, and now the potential for a July 4 Opening Day has come and gone.
MLB reportedly sent its latest proposal to the MLBPA on Monday morning, and it included a 76-game season with players earning 50% of their prorated salaries with a chance for that number to jump up to 75% if there is no second wave of the coronavirus that would prevent the entire postseason from being played.
Players have made it clear that they would like to have a substantial number of games, which is why MLB went up from 50 to 76 games in their latest proposal. The union has also made it clear they want full prorated salaries since that was the original agreement, which was offered for 50 games but not 76.
Because of that, the MLBPA reportedly views the latest offer as going in the wrong direction, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today:
The Major League Players Association on Monday considered MLB’s latest offer a “step backwards” that proposed a 76-game season while guaranteeing players 50% of their prorated pay with the opportunity of earning 75% of their salaries if there is a postseason, two people with direct knowledge of the offer told USA TODAY Sports.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has the ability to overrule the negotiations and mandate a season of any length if he chooses, which is why he remains optimistic and committed to getting some sort of season in.
With the two sides still far apart with no signs of an agreement on the horizon, it may take Manfred stepping in for baseball to be played in 2020.
All of the disagreements seem to be surrounding money at this time as it was recently reported that health and safety is not believed to be as big of an issue in negotiations. That’s part of what makes what is going on so disappointing as the two sides are letting money get in the way of an opportunity to grow the sport.
Regardless, the Los Angeles Dodgers are prepared to play whenever an agreement is made and will be one of the favorites to win the World Series whenever they take the field.
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