The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported the details of ownership’s latest offer to the players for a 2020 season Wednesday afternoon.
Source: MLB proposal includes:
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) June 17, 2020
•60 games in 70 days
•Season starting July 19th/20th
•Full Prorated Salary
•Expanded Playoffs in 2020 and 2021
•Waiving of any potential grievance
This latest offer includes 60 games at full prorated salaries for the players starting July 19th. Important inclusions are expanded playoffs for both the 2020 and 2021 seasons, as well as the players waiving any right to launch a grievance.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan notes that 60 games at prorated salaries comes to approximately $1.5 billion in total payment to the players, which is where the last offer from the owners maxed out at if all incentives and benchmarks were hit. The difference in this deal is that this amount is not contingent on any additional factors. Passan also says that any deal that is actually worked out is likely to be for more than 60 games.
Multiple reporters and the MLBPA have rebutted earlier reports from MLB Network’s Jon Heyman that a deal was immanent between the sides, but a resumption of negotiations as well as a small move towards the middle are positive indications for baseball in 2020. This deal comes after a reported meeting between commissioner Rob Manfred and MLBPA president Tony Clark in Arizona.
The players will likely want more games, and it may be a hard sell for them to waive their right to a grievance, but reporters all around the sport seem far more optimistic that a deal will get done after today’s meeting and the latest offer from ownership.