Major League Baseball and the Players Association remain far apart on a plan for the 2020 season, particularly as it pertains to economics and how many games would be scheduled for each team.
After rejecting the union’s request for full prorated salaries and a 114-game regular season, MLB countered with players potentially receiving 75% of their prorated salary over a 76-game slate.
The union is expected to decline that proposal by Wednesday’s deadline, leaving the two sides at odds as the midway point of June approaches.
What they have been able to find common ground on thus far is an expanded playoffs format. Both MLB and the Players Association have included this in recent proposals, with the belief that seven teams from each league would qualify should a 2020 season be played.
However, in their latest pitch to the union, MLB reportedly floated the idea of eight teams from each league reaching the postseason, via Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic:
The expanded 16-team postseason that was part of MLB’s proposal yesterday did not specify a best-of-three opening round, though that might be the league’s idea, sources tell me and @EvanDrellich. The proposal asked for eight teams in each team league, specifics to be discussed.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) June 9, 2020
As Rosenthal relayed, MLB did not specify whether the opening round of the postseason would be a best-of-three series. Such would be a shift from the traditional best-of-five American and National League Division Series.
While both MLB and the Players Association are seemingly open to the idea of an expanded playoffs format, the two sides haven’t been able to agree on the timeframe of a potential postseason.
Players desire a longer regular season — one that would end in late October — with the playoffs ensuing the following month.
However, MLB does not want the 2020 season extending into November due to concerns over a possible second wave of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Prominent MLB agent Scott Boras was critical of this logic, citing the NFL and NCAA’s plans of carrying forward with their respective seasons this fall.
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