MLB players reach deal on service, pay if season lost

NEW YORK — Players agreed to a deal with Major League Baseball that would preserve service time in the event this season is canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic, but they left open details of what a reconfigured schedule would look like.

As part of the agreement approved by the union Thursday night, players will not challenge the loss of their salaries if no games are played.

Management will advance $170 million in salary payments over the first 60 days of the original schedule, and that money does not have to be returned if the season is canceled. Player salaries this year are expected to total roughly $4 billion.

Management was given the right to cut the amateur draft in both 2020 and 2021, and to freeze the values of signing bonus money at 2019 levels.

Details were divulged to the Associated Press by people familiar with the agreement who spoke on condition of anonymity because no announcement was made.

Teams approved the 17-page agreement Friday, one person said.

Opening day was to have been Thursday but was pushed back to mid-May at the earliest because of the virus outbreak. The spring training schedule was cut short on March 12 because of the pandemic, and it remains unclear when and if baseball can resume.

“Each of the parties shall work in good faith to as soon as is practicable commence, play, and complete the fullest 2020 championship season and post-season that is economically feasible,” the agreement says. There must be no legal restrictions on mass gathering and travel, and a determination play “does not pose an unreasonable health and safety risk to players, staff or spectators.”