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One week after commissioner Rob Manfred unequivocally guaranteed there would be a 2020 Major League Baseball season, that possibility again looked to have some traction.
Upon reports surfacing of Manfred meeting with MLB Players Association executive director Tony Clark in person, the union was presented with another proposal for the 2020 season. It undeniably was a step in the right direction, particularly with Manfred previously backing off his guarantee for a season to be played.
However, seemingly in line with how negotiations have gone to this point, the two sides are interpreting the proposed 60 games in different manners.
MLB team owners consider the schedule to be locked at 60 games, while the MLBPA believes it was merely a starting point and subject to further compromise, per Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drellich of The Athletic:
League sources say commissioner Rob Manfred and union head Tony Clark settled on the framework of an agreement in a face-to-face meeting Tuesday. The union, however, is adamant that no deal was reached, tweeting as much on Wednesday night. Clark informed Manfred that the 60-game season proposed by the league was not long enough, a source said.
The MLBPA’s latest counter to the league was for an 89-game season at full prorated pay. That would amount to players earning 55% of salaries they normally would have received in 2020.
It predictably was rejected by the league, who presented an offer of 72 games with players making 80% of their prorated salaries, plus a bonus pool if an expanded postseason was fully completed. It came with a Sunday night deadline, and unsurprisingly was also declined
In addition to players insisting they receive full prorated salaries that were part of a March 26 agreement, they also have regularly expressed a willingness to play as many games as possible to stage a substantial season.
That not only hasn’t been enticing to team owners because of purported salary concerns, but MLB also seems set on concluding the regular season by Sept. 27.
Shortly after it was reported the union received another offer, they refuted reports of an agreement being in place.
“At my request, Tony Clark and I met for several hours [Tuesday] in Phoenix. We left that meeting with a jointly developed framework that we agreed could form the basis of an agreement and subject to conversations with our respective constituents,” Manfred said in an ensuing statement.
“I summarized that framework numerous times in the meeting and sent Tony a written summary today. Consistent with our conversations yesterday, I am encouraging the Clubs to move forward and I trust Tony is doing the same.”
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