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Major League Baseball players and owners are negotiating the economics of restarting the 2020 season, and players have countered the owners proposal. Earlier this week, owners submitted a proposal with extensive salary cuts, starting small and increasing as salaries go up.
Players were not happy with the owners’ proposal, and player rep Max Scherzer said there was no reason to engage further on further compensation reductions. On Sunday, the players made their proposal, and they followed through based on some of the details out there.
Source: MLBPA delivered its proposal to the league on Sunday afternoon.
— Evan Drellich (@EvanDrellich) June 1, 2020
ª Schedule: 114 games, June 30-Oct. 31
• Two years of expanded playoffs
• $100 million of total deferred money
• Opt out for all players if they don’t want to play
• Deferral would be ONLY if the postseason is canceled. Would apply to contracts of $10 million above (before being prorated). Payments would be in November 2021 and 2022.
— Evan Drellich (@EvanDrellich) June 1, 2020
• Either way, players would get additional salary advance during spring training camp of $100 million.
Owners have been concerned about a second wave of Covid-19 wiping out the postseason later this fall. With no fans in attendance at games this season, playoff television money is where owners will make a sizable chunk of their revenue. The players are offering deferrals if the playoffs get canceled. They are not offering the kinds of pay cuts the owners want, but this offer gives the owners some leeway if things go south in the fall.
The two sides will continue negotiations this week. There is some thought they need a deal done in the next week or so to get the season started the first week of July.