The back and forth between MLB owners and the players has grown exhausting over the last month or so. Every day, there seemed to be a new proposal from one side that was almost always immediately disregarded by the opposite side. It appeared as though the biggest development in the labor fight was Rob Manfred’s clumsy attempt to pressure the players into waiving their right to file a grievance by putting the 2020 season in doubt over that. That negotiating position was nearly universally panned and brought the owners back to the table with some heightened urgency.
There have been proposals and offers since then, in addition to some MLB personnel testing positive for COVID-19, that have been rejected which leads us to tonight’s development.
Source: Owners plan to implement 60-game season once union responds to two questions posed in statement. https://t.co/6Erj1jLpfK
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) June 23, 2020
This is all an ever moving discussion so the facts could change here, but the gist of this seems to be that if the players say by tomorrow at 5 pm that they can report to camp by July 1st and that they agree to the health and safety protocols that have been discussed, MLB owners will implement a 60 game season which is welcome news for those who have been desperate for their baseball fix.
The biggest hurdle seems to be agreement on the health and safety protocols. While the sides were certainly closer on the health and safety guidelines than they were on the financials, the numerous positive tests that have occurred at spring training facilities looms large on a lot of folks’ minds as MLB tries to get back to work. We will keep you updated as this story develops, but it sure looks like baseball is going to happen as the pressure on MLBPA, combined with their preserved right to file a grievance, seems to point to something happening soon.
As for those of you that are wondering if the imposition of a season still means that there is going to be a universal DH, we come bearing good news.
There still will be a universal DH in 2020 since it was agreed upon as part of the health and safety protocols, but not in 2021.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) June 23, 2020