MLB 2021 season to start on time after MLBPA rejects league’s 154-game proposal

The Major League Baseball Players Association has rejected an MLB proposal to shorten the 2021 season to 154 games. MLB recently proposed the changes and offered to pay players for the usual 162 games in exchange for an extended 2021 playoff series. In response to the union’s rejection, MLB is now saying the 2021 season will start on time and as scheduled.

The union released the following statement on Monday evening:

“Late last week, the MLBPA received for the first time this offseason a proposal from the MLB to delay spring training and opening day by about a month.

According to the proposal, the end of the season would be delayed by one week, the regular season would be shortened to 154 games and all thirty teams would be required to play multiple doubles. Players would also be required to accept previously rejected proposals that tie the expanded playoffs to the designated hitter expansion.

While player salaries are not initially prorated to a 154-game regular season, the MLB proposal does not provide any salary or service time protection in the event of further delays, interruptions or delays. cancellation of the season.

The MLBPA Board of Directors and Player Management reviewed and discussed the owners’ proposal throughout the weekend and today. The clear result of these deliberations is that the players will not accept the MLB proposal, instead continue preparations for a start to the 2021 season on time and accept the MLB commitment to lead its clubs again to prepare. to a start on time.

We do not take this decision lightly. Players know firsthand the efforts that were required to complete the abridged 2020 season, and we appreciate that significant challenges lie ahead. We look forward to quickly finalizing improved health and safety protocols that will help players and clubs meet these challenges. “

The MLB then responded with its own statement:

“On the advice of medical experts, we have proposed a one-month delay at the start of spring training and the regular season to better protect the health and safety of players and support staff. The season would allow the level of COVID -19 infection rate to decrease and further delay for vaccine distribution, as well as minimize the potential disruption of the 2021 season that all sports currently face.

“The offer included the start of the regular season on April 29 and playing a 154-game schedule that would pay players in full as if they were playing 162 games. We also offered two changes to the 2020 season that have been extremely popular with our fans – for this season only, with a modified extended postseason (seven teams per league) and the universal designated hitter rule.

“It was a good deal that reflected the best interests of everyone involved in the sport by simply moving the season schedule back a month for health and safety reasons without affecting the rights that players or clubs currently have under the Basic Agreement or Uniform Player Agreement for pay and service time.

“In light of the MLBPA’s rejection of our proposal and their refusal to counter our revised offer this afternoon, we are moving forward and asking our clubs to report for a spring training start.” and the championship season, subject to reaching an agreement on health and safety protocols. Our 2020 season has taught us that when the nation faces a crisis, the national game is more important than ever, and there is nothing better than playing ball. We were able to end a 2020 season thanks to the Herculean efforts and sacrifices made by our players, club staff and MLB staff to protect each other. We will do it again, together, as we strive to play another safe and fun season in 2021. “

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, a number of players believe it is too late in the offseason to revise the schedule, which partly explains the reasoning behind the union’s rejection. Both parties could revisit the idea of ​​extended playoffs and universal DH, but the union remains opposed to the idea of ​​extended playoffs, according to Rosenthal.

David Samson broke the latest MLB / MLBPA negotiations on the last episode of Nothing Personal with David Samson. Listen below:

It should be noted the Recently rejected MLBPA an offer that would have given them universal DH in exchange for an expanded postseason. The new 154-game season proposition is essentially the same offer, only with eight games less and a delayed start.

According to the league’s plan, spring training would have started on March 22 according to ESPN’s Buster Olney, and the opening day would have been postponed to April 28. The the Wall Street newspaperJared Diamond adds the expanded playoffs would have included 14 teams, not 16 like the 2020 season.

The MLB proposal seems reasonable enough at first glance, although the MLBPA isn’t getting anything as valuable as the extended playoffs for owners. An extended postseason equates to tens of millions of additional income for MLB. The union is already entitled to full pay for 2021, which means it wouldn’t have gotten much out of the rejected proposal.

As much delaying the season would make sense for health and safety reasons, but it’s about the money. MLB wants to play as many games as possible with fans in the stands, and delaying the season would help them do so now that the vaccine distribution has started. MLBPA wants full pay regardless of the length of the season.

Spring training camps are scheduled to open in mid-February, and the Cactus League and Grapefruit League matches will begin on February 27. The opening of the regular season is scheduled for April 1. To hear both sides say it now, this is the schedule they are going to stick to.