MLB's latest proposal to players includes 76-game season, expanded playoff system
Target Field. Photo credit: Greg Kellogg (Greg Kellogg/FOX 9 photojournalist / FOX 9)
NEW YORK - (AP) -- Details of the proposal made Monday by Major League Baseball to the Major League Baseball Players Association, as obtained by The Associated Press:
Season: 76 games per team, starting about July 10 and ending on Sept. 27. MLB may relocate teams to neutral sites or spring training sites for health and safety, or to comply with government restrictions.
Salaries: Each player would receive 50% of prorated salary as determined by March agreement for 76-game season, an additional 20% if the postseason completed and 50% of earned bonuses after proration (76/162) as determined by the March agreement. The postseason supplemental payment is $393 million, of which $50 million is accrued for the Division Series, an additional $50 million for the League Championship Series and the remainder for the World Series. The postseason money is due on the later of Nov. 20 or the last payment date related to deferred 2020 salary in a player's contract. A player is not required to pay back 20% of the salary advanced under the March agreement (which called for up to $286,500 per player).
Postseason: Expands to as many as eight teams per league in 2020 and 2021. If the 2020 postseason is completed, MLB would provide a $50 million players' pool even if no fans attend.
Interruptions: The commissioner has the right to cancel the season, postseason or any games if there are travel restrictions in the U.S., or if health or safety risks develop. If the season is suspended or canceled before it is completed, a player would be entitled only to salary earned to that point.
Free agent draft pick compensation: The qualifying offer and draft pick compensation system is suspended for the 2020-21 offseason. However, a team whose former player was with the team for the entire 2020 season and who signs a multiyear major league contract with a different club for $35 million guaranteed (or $17.8 million or more for one year) would receive an additional amateur draft pick, either after the fourth round (if the new team pays revenue sharing money), after competitive balance round A (if the new team receives revenue sharing money) or after competitive balance round B (other teams). This provision would expire after the end of the 2021 draft.
Preseason: Training would last at least 21 days, not counting the COVID-19 monitoring intake period.
Opt out: Any player may opt out. A player who qualifies as high risk as determined by MLB and the union may elect not to play and would be treated the same as if he were injured for purposes of salary and major league service. A player not high risk who opts out would placed on the restricted list for the entire season and would not receive salary or service time.