MLBPA likely to reject MLB proposal for 154-game delayed 2021 season with extended playoffs, report says

Although the COVID-19 pandemic continues across the United States, the MLB’s spring training is expected to open in just over two weeks. However, Major League Baseball is hoping to delay the start of the 2021 season. The league cannot do this unilaterally, so at the moment spring training and opening day are on schedule.

It could change. Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports reports The MLB recently proposed a framework for a 154-game delayed season at the MLBPA. Here are the main details of the proposal:

• 154-game season with full pay for players
• Season delayed by one month and extended by one week
• Expanded postseason

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the players’ union will likely reject the MLB proposal. A number of players believe it is too late in the offseason to revise the schedule, Rosenthal notes. 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 start on March 22 according to ESPN’s Buster Olney, and the opening day would be postponed to April 28. The the Wall Street newspaperJared Diamond adds the expanded playoffs would feature 14 teams, not 16 like the 2020 season.

Delaying the season by a month and extending the season by a week suggests there would be scheduled doubles throughout the season, even with eight games cut off the schedule. Presumably, universal DH, seven-inning doubles, and the extra-inning tiebreaker rule are included in the MLB proposal.

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. It doesn’t get much out of it.

As much as delaying the season would make sense for health and safety reasons, it’s also about 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.