Baseball union backs away from deal

26th player sought

NEW YORK, Dec 3, (AP): Baseball players and owners had a deal to expand active rosters from 25 to 26 players for most of the season, but the union backed away in the final stages of collective bargaining.

As part of the deal, the limit from Sept 1 on would have been lowered from 40 to 28.

“We thought we were going to make an agreement, had a tentative agreement,” baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred told The Associated Press on Friday, “but In this Sept 23, 2016 file photo, Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Welington Castillo makes a catch on a bunt by a Baltimore Oriole during a baseball game in Baltimore. Castillo was among 35 players who became free agents when their teams declined to offer

2017 contracts on Dec 2. (AP) were part of the conversation during the course of the year that we lived to talk about it another day.”

Rosters have long expanded for the season’s final full month as minor league affiliates end their campaigns. The roster expansion gives managers the ability to make more frequent pitching changes in an attempt to gain favorable matchups.

Some managers and general managers have complained it doesn’t make sense to play most of the season under one set of rules and then switch as pennant races heat up. While some teams add many players and a few reach the 40-man limit, others make relatively few call-ups.

“There were very mixed opinions on the club side, as well,” Manfred said. “Maybe we were going too far, too fast.”

Many players make their big league debuts in September, and the union has long been concerned about the loss of service time if the limit were to be lowered from 40.

“To reduce the roster to 28 people would jeopardize the ability for people to get their feet wet in the big leagues,” Oakland catcher Stephen Vogt said in a text. “September is a great time for teams to teach the young guys how to act and be in the big leagues and get their feet wet in a comfortable environment.”

Given the increasing importance of bullpens, some believe a 26th player likely would be an additional relief pitcher.