MLB owners reject players’ latest proposal

Major League Baseball owners won’t counter the players’ proposal for a 70-game season, the MLB Players Association announced Friday, once again leaving the start of the 2020 season in limbo.

According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, owners will hold discussions this weekend to determine their next steps. MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reported that players likely will vote on Saturday on whether to accept the owners’ latest proposal that called for a 60game regular season.

MLBPA said in a statement on Friday night that “MLB has informed the Association that it will no longer respond to our latest proposal and will not play more than 60 games. Our Executive Board will convene in the near future to determine next steps. Importantly, Players remain committed to getting back to work as soon as possible.”

The news is the latest of an ongoing saga that has seen numerous counterproposals and reports of progress toward a deal soon followed by news that the two sides again seem far apart. Last Saturday, the players rejected the owners’ proposal for a reported 72-game season, then added further negotiations would be futile.

“Tell us when and where” the season will begin, the players’ statement that day concluded.

But on Tuesday, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred and MLBPA executive director Tony Clark met, with Manfred stating afterward a jointly developed framework could form the basis of an agreement.

According to reports, the owners’ offer at that time was for 60 games with the players receiving full pro-rated salaries. The MLBPA, however, countered with a plan for a 70-game season, leading to Friday’s rejection by the owners.

The impasse leaves the players with two options: Accept the owners’ 60-game offer or reject the offer and force Manfred to implement his own schedule.

Heyman reported that Manfred would set a schedule of 50-60 games.