MLB ownership reaction to players’ latest proposal: ‘We’re nowhere’

By Jesse Reed

·Updated: June 9, 2020

The MLBPA sent a new proposal back to MLB ownership on Tuesday evening, and to the surprise of nobody it’s going absolutely nowhere.

The terms of the latest MLBPA proposal

Evan Drellich of The Athletic shared what he learned about the latest MLBPA proposal Tuesday evening on Twitter.

The proposal included expanded playoffs, which the league does not have the ability to do unilaterally.
— Evan Drellich (@EvanDrellich) June 9, 2020

In new MLBPA proposal, players get a playoff pool determined by gate revenues as normal. But, if the postseason has no fans or limited access for fans, the playoff pool is $50 million.
— Evan Drellich (@EvanDrellich) June 10, 2020

At this point, the talk around baseball insiders is that MLB ownership would never accept this deal. The big reason? MLB wants to ensure the regular season is over by Sept. 27, per Jeff Passan of ESPN, because TV networks don’t want to move playoff games.

While MLB will reject this offer from the union, it takes the sides much closer to a likely number of games. As hard-and-fast as the MLBPA is on full pro rata, though, the league is entrenched in ending the season Sept. 27. Important: TV networks don’t want to move playoff games.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 10, 2020

MLB ownership reacts as expected to latest MLBPA proposal

After the news of this latest proposal circulated on social media for a while, Jon Heyman of MLB Network shared a quick quote that sums up the entire process:

Initial reax from ownership source following players latest proposal: “We’re nowhere.”
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) June 10, 2020

MLB ownership interests want the players to take less than the previously agreed-upon prorated salary from back in March. The latest MLB offer included players receiving 75% of their prorated salaries. The reactions by players to that proposal were predictably not favorable.

Round and round we go. This battle continues to wage without an end in sight.