Union praises Blue Jays for giving minor-leaguers raises

Union head Tony Clark lauded the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday for giving minor-league players a 50 percent raise, and he hopes other clubs do the same.

Representatives from the players' association visited the Blue Jays' spring training camp a day after The Athletic reported the team planned to boost pay for all minor leaguers, some making as little as $1,100 a month in recent seasons.

Minor-league players are not paid during spring training or the offseason. Those who don't receive lucrative signing bonuses often struggle to afford meals, rent and basic equipment like cleats and bats.

Toronto is the first club to announce such a raise.

"I'm glad there has been some dialogue and a decision made in the last week to suggest that guys are going to be compensated differently than they may have been in the past," Clark said. "We'll have to see how other teams either do or don't fall in line behind them."

A lawsuit filed by former minor-league players alleging MLB violated minimum wage and overtime requirements was pre-empted last year when Congress passed the Save America's Pastime Act, which stripped minor leaguers of the protection of federal minimumwage laws.

MLB has also pushed Arizona lawmakers to exempt minorleague players from minimum-wage laws there, a move that would affect hundreds of players who are not paid during spring training — despite working as many as 12 hours per day — and make only a few thousand dollars playing in the rookie-level Arizona League.

Clark noted conditions in the minor leagues have not changed much since The Rockies’ Ryan Mcmahon forces out the Reds’ Connor Joe at second base and throws to first to double up Juan Graterol during Cincinnati’s 6-3 loss Monday.

he played there in the early 1990s. Despite that, the union has accomplished little at the bargaining table on behalf of minor leaguers.

Clark said he considers minor leaguers "a part of the puzzle" for the union, but added there are challenges to that relationship. Minor-league players are not a part of the major-league players' association, nor are they unionized themselves.

"Although we don't represent legally the minor-league group, we will continue to do the things that we can do to support them moving forward despite that," Clark said.

Pitching news

• The Cincinnati Reds expect lefthander Alex Wood to open the season on the disabled list as he recovers from a sore back that has limited him during spring training. Wood was part of the trade that brought outfielders Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp to Cincinnati from the Dodgers. He made one spring training start before his back tightened, and he had a setback when he

resumed throwing last week. Manager David Bell said that it's likely Wood will miss the first couple weeks of the season.

• Clayton Kershaw won't start for the Los Angeles Dodgers on opening day, ending his streak of pitching eight straight openers. Kershaw has dealt with left shoulder inflammation during spring training and has yet to pitch in a game.

Yankees' Ellsbury hopes to play

Jacoby Ellsbury expects to play again following a hip injury, but when that will be is not clear.

Ellsbury, 35, reported more than a month late to spring training because of a rehab program in Arizona for left hip surgery performed last August. He also had issues with plantar fasciitis in his right foot during the offseason.

Ellsbury is guaranteed $21,142,857 annually through 2020 as part of a $153 million, seven-year contract that includes a $21 million team option for 2021 with a $5 million buyout.

Ellsbury hit .264 with seven homers and 39 RBI in 112 games in 2017.