This is absolutely huge news. For a while, it seemed like the 2020 Major League Baseball season would be canceled altogether.
Financial differences between the league and its players amid the ongoing worldwide pandemic were seemingly too deep. That’s now changed. Following a meeting between MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred and union head Tony Clark on Wednesday, the two sides are reportedly closing in on an agreement to start the 2020 season.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred releases statement, urges teams to prepare for the season
Following his meeting with Clark in Arizona on Wednesday, Manfred released a statement indicating a framework for a deal to start the season and urging that teams take the necessary steps to prepare for the start of the campaign.
That’s the strongest-worded statement yet from either side. It certainly does seem to indicate that the finalization of a deal is imminent.
Negotiations between MLB and its players were heated
It was a bad look for the two sides once the union rejected the league’s latest offer this past weekend. During trying economic times and with 118,000-plus Americans having passed away from COVID-19, patience among the general public was not too high. Millionaires and billionaires battling over pennies on the dollar.
Needless to say, Wednesday’s report was met by a ton of positive reactions from around the sports world. Manfred’s comments also represent a trend in the right direction.
How will the 2020 MLB season look?
Based on various reports, the season is expected to be about 60 games. Each team will have 10 off days. They will play at their home venues, likely without fans in attendance. Schedules will be based on geography with western division teams playing against one another and so on.
It’s not yet known when the season will actually start. Initially, Major League Baseball wanted it to begin in early July. That’s obviously not going to happen right now.