Report: MLB owners mulling offer of 50-game season
A day after the Major League Baseball Players Association offered a counterproposal to play an abbreviated season, the owners reportedly agreed to a key aspect.
Players want prorated salaries - ideally for a regular season of 114 games that starts on June 30 and ends on Oct. 31 before moving into a 14-team postseason.
According to ESPN, owners on Monday have "discussed" offering a 50-game regular season with prorated pay, but only as a last resort.
Last week, both sides seemed intent on playing an 82-game regular season starting in early July and ending in late September.
Before play begins, another spring training would be needed. A source said pitchers would need four weeks to get ready and position players would need three weeks.
In late March, owners and players agreed on prorated salaries for games played this season.
As the coronavirus pandemic worsened and it became clear games would be played with no fans in the stands for an extended period, owners asked the MLBPA to alter the agreement and accept a 50/50 revenue split on money brought in from TV and radio contracts.
That was rejected by the players, and so was the sliding salary cuts.
In Sunday's counterproposal, the MLBPA still asked for prorated salaries, but they did offer some concessions.
Players sought a 114-game regular season instead of 82. They were also open to playing doubleheaders.
The proposal also asked that players who have health issues deemed "high risk" still be paid and be given major-league service time.
Players who are not "high risk" but don't want to play would receive service time but would not be paid.
The hope is the two sides reach an agreement by the end of the week.
Even with all of the civil unrest taking place in the wake of George Floyd's death, White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson is looking forward to getting back to playing baseball.
"I guess you could just say take care of what really matters," Anderson said. "I think this problem is bigger than baseball at the moment. But can't wait to get back out there when the time is right."