Major League Baseball announced an initiative on Thursday to help provide minor-league players with compensation during the suspension of the 2020 season due to the coronavirus.
In a statement, MLB announced that it will provide each minor-league player with a lump sum equal to the allowance that they would have received through April 9. The league notes that any minor-league players currently receiving housing, food, or other services from their MLB club will not receive the lump sum.
It is the first step in MLB’s effort to help the thousands of MiLB players who are now without jobs for an indefinite amount of time. Players have also run into the issue where, because they must keep in shape for whenever the season returns, they are unable to find substantial work during their time away from the game and due to risk for employers of the players leaving at any moment when the season resumes.
MLB also announced it is in communications with teams on developing an industry-wide plan to compete minor-league players after April 9 and through the beginning of the upcoming season. The current announcement will give the league and its teams time to create and implement a plan for the week and potentially months to come.
The move comes days after MLB owners each pledged $1 million to help stadium employees while the season is suspended. While it remains unclear when baseball will return, it’s nice to see all in MLB doing what they can to help those in dire circumstances due to the suspended season.