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Report: Most MLB teams commit to paying staff through end of May

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The majority of Major League Baseball's 30 teams have committed to paying baseball operations staff members through at least the end of May.

According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, teams include the Arizona Diamondbacks, Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Colorado Rockies, Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros, Kansas City Royals, Miami Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, Philadelphia Phillies, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, St. Louis Cardinals, and Toronto Blue Jays.

The Los Angeles Angels also agreed to pay baseball operations staff for all of May, sources told Passan.

Meanwhile, the Padres have reportedly made assurances that staff will be paid through what would have been the end of the season. However, some employees will be asked to take pay cuts.

Additionally, the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Milwaukee Brewers joined those teams with a commitment to paying non-player staff through at least the end of May, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network, who adds the New York Mets are expected to do the same.

The Texas Rangers likewise followed suit Tuesday afternoon, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports.

The New York Yankees will continue paying and providing benefits to employees in both their baseball operations and business departments, sources told James Wagner of the New York Times.

Meanwhile, the Tigers and Rockies are taking even larger steps and committing to paying all employees their full salaries indefinitely, sources told Ken Rosenthal and Brittany Ghiroli of The Athletic.

Tigers chairman and CEO Chris Ilitch - who is also president of Ilitch Holdings, the parent company that owns the Tigers, the NHL's Red Wings, and Little Caesars Pizza - sent an email of support to his entire company.

"The Detroit Tigers have no plans for layoffs or furloughs of its employees, including those subject to a Uniform Employee Contract," he wrote. "We are a family company with strong values around our employees, our fans, and our community."

Five teams - the Oakland Athletics, Tampa Bay Rays, Cleveland Indians, Los Angeles Dodgers, and the reigning champion Washington Nationals - haven't announced plans for paying their employees.

A source told Rosenthal and Ghiroli that the Dodgers are still working on their plans. The Nationals have only committed to paying front-office employees through the end of April, but the team said in an internal memo it's working on plans for May.

Marlins CEO Derek Jeter reportedly decided to indefinitely forgo his $5-million salary during the work stoppage.

Effective May 1, commissioner Rob Manfred is reportedly suspending Uniform Employee Contracts. That means teams have the option to furlough non-player staff or reduce their pay.

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