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MLB reportedly offers to push back pitch clock implementation

Rob Manfred

As Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association continue to have wide-ranging talks surrounding numerous topics, one thing has come to the forefront recently.

Those on the diamond and within the players association are not happy with MLB’s unilateral decision to implement a 20-second pitch clock during spring training. For some, it’s a precursor to this happening during regular-season games.

Now, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, MLB has offered to kick the pitch clock drama down the road.

“Major League Baseball is prepared to scuttle the implementation of a pitch clock until at least 2022 as part of a wide-ranging proposal to the MLB Players Association that would include the ability to implement a three-batter-minimum rule for pitches and roster-size changes in 2020,” Passan reported.

The proposal also includes a controversial idea to impose a three-batter minimum on pitchers during a game. That’s also been a major point of contention with MLB arguing it will speed up the pace of a game.

To make up for issues relating to usage, MLB would expand the roster size from 25 to 26 — adding one pitcher in the process.

As it relates to trade deadline changes, there’s at least seems to be some common ground.

“MLB took the union’s suggestion of a single trade deadline before the All-Star break and countered by keeping the current July 31 deadline in place but eliminating trades in August for players who clear waivers,” the report read.

The current MLB Collective Bargaining Agreement comes to a conclusion following the 2021 season. But there’s been rumors of a potential work stoppage. The slow pace of the MLB offseason has added to this over the winter.

At the very least, the two sides are engaging in what seems to be meaningful discussions. That’s never a bad thing when it comes to collective bargaining.

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