The negotiations for a 2020 season took another turn Monday.
After a week during which Major League Baseball and the MLBPA appeared to be far from an agreement, the league is considering a shorter season with players receiving their full prorated salaries, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN.
The regular season would consist of approximately 50 games (roughly one-third of the typical 162-game campaign), Passan adds. The aim would be to begin in July.
The league would only consider a longer schedule if players agree to further pay cuts beyond their prorated salaries, sources told Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drellich of The Athletic. For the time being, MLB is not planning on officially presenting this proposal to the union.
The league believes the March agreement - which guaranteed prorated salaries - also afforded it a mandate to shorten the season without further union consent, Passan reports. Alternatives to a shortened season will continue to be discussed with the union.
This comes shortly after the players' association reportedly countered the league's proposal of an 82-game season - which included tiered pay cuts - with a plan for a 114-game campaign.
One anonymous ownership group called the deal a "non-starter" just hours after the union sent its proposal.
The original league proposal, received Tuesday by the MLBPA, included salary cuts divided into tiers based on total earnings, which the union reportedly found disappointing. Shortly after, it was reported that the players' association was preparing an "outlandish" rebuttal.
On Sunday, the union's response to the league included full prorated salaries, a 114-game season, and the ability for players to opt out. In addition, the players suggested expanding the postseason in 2021 as a way to generate extra revenue, as well as offseason Home Run Derby and All-Star events.
