KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Major League Baseball’s return to play deal has somehow turned into an ugly divorce case. Both sides, the League and the Major League Baseball Player's Association, seem to be unable to agree and unfortunately it’s all over money.
By Wednesday afternoon, the return of baseball in 2020 suddenly seemed promising. After numerous rejected deals, again on both sides, the MLB sent out a new return to play deal for the MLBPA to look over. The deal includes 60 games, giving players full prorated salary and it includes expanded playoffs.
According to ESPN's MLB Insider Jeff Passasn, this plan is a step in the right direction. Although it may be rejected, with the MLBPA sending a counter. This deal serves as a pathway to actually getting a deal done soon.
One big reason many see the MLB's latest proposal as progress is due to an in-person meeting between MLB commissoner Rob Manfred and the Player's Association Executive Director, Tony Clark. The two heads of each side of this matter, met in Phoenix on Tuesday to discuss the deal's details. On Wednesday, Manfred released this statement:
“At my request, Tony Clark and I met for several hours yesterday in Phoenix. We left that meeting with a jointly developed framework that we agreed could form the basis of an agreement and subject to conversations with our respective constituents. I summarized that framework numerous times in the meeting and sent Tony a written summary today. Consistent with our conversations yesterday, I am encouraging the Clubs to move forward and I trust Tony is doing the same.”
KSHB also reached out to the Kansas City Royals for a statement on the matter.
"We won’t be providing any comments until everything is finalized and we have received dates to commence with workouts and ultimately games."
As of now, no deal is done, but this is a huge step in the right direction, especially when you consider where things stood between both sides just 48 hours ago.
If anything, today shows hope that baseball as a whole is determined to make their return in 2020.
