Major League Baseball shocked itself to life on Wednesday, a day after commissioner Rob Manfred and Players’ Association president Tony Clark met for negotiations in Phoenix. …
Major League Baseball shocked itself to life on Wednesday, a day after commissioner Rob Manfred and Players’ Association president Tony Clark met for negotiations in Phoenix.
Though no agreement had been struck by Wednesday evening, reports suggest the two sides — which have been steeped in mistrust for years, culminating in this week’s contentious negotiations that played out via the media — were on track toward a deal for a 2020 baseball season.
[Baseball is showing its ugly side during labor talks]
Though the specifics aren’t set, MLB’s latest written proposal reportedly called for a 60-game schedule, beginning on July 19. Players would receive their full salaries on a pro-rated basis — essentially the terms that MLB agreed to in a March deal with the union, removing the players’ major objection to beginning the season. (The players asked for an 89-game season last week; a late-July start leaves approximately 70 days before the start of October.)
The big change would come after the shortened regular season: MLB’s playoff format would expand to 16 teams for both 2020 and 2021, leading up to the expiration of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement following the 2021 season.
[Tigers sign two picks, but not Torkelson yet]
That last part would seem to benefit the Detroit Tigers, even if not this season or next.
