The public negotiating battle between the MLB Players’ Association and MLB owners continued on Tuesday with the players sending a counterproposal for an 89-game season, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
Under this proposal, the season would run from July 10-Oct. 11 and includes expanded postseason for 2020 and 2021 of as many as 16 playoff teams, per MLB Insider Jon Heyman.
The players also propose a playoff pool to be determined by gate revenue, and if there are still no fans permitted at games, then the pool would consist of $50 million.
The players would also like to set up a joint fund with the league of $5 million to support minor-league players and social justice, according to Jared Diamond of the Wall Street Journal.
Owners are not likely to accept the counteroffer, per Passan.
“We’re nowhere,” at least one ownership source told Heyman.
On Monday, the owners proposed a 76-game season with prorated salaries at 75 percent and the regular season concluding on Sept. 27., which the players rejected.
Per multiple reports, the owners do not want to budge on extending the season any further due to postseason contracts and fears of a second wave of coronavirus.
Players, on the other hand, have been unwilling to budge on further salary reductions than the full prorated salaries that was agreed upon in March.
While the 89-game season is more than what the owners’ proposal was on Monday, it is 25 games fewer than the players’ previous counteroffer when they suggested a 114-game season, which was a counteroffer to a 50-game season proposed by the owners.
Per the agreement in March, the league can mandate a season of 50 games.
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