Report: Manfred offers tweaks to 2021 season as MLBPA mulls decision - Sportsnet.ca

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has offered to cancel the expanded playoffs and universal designated hitter for the 2021 MLB season if the full 2020 season isn’t played, according to a report from ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred sent a letter to MLBPA executive director Tony Clark today offering to cancel expanded playoffs and universal DH for 2021 if a full season isn’t played in 2020, sources tell ESPN. Players are concerned about giving up leverage of playoffs for naught.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 21, 2020

Manfred’s offer, described by Passan as an “olive branch” to the MLB Players’ Association, is intended to prevent players from forfeiting leverage during negotiations for the potential upcoming season.

As Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic reports, Manfred’s letter to Clark suggests that the earliest players could report for spring training camp is June 29 leaving 66 days to play 60 games.

In letter to Tony Clark today, Rob Manfred said, “I really believe we are fighting over an impossibility on games.” Says given need to relocated teams from Florida, earliest players could report is June 29, leaving 66 days to play 60 games.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) June 21, 2020

Multiple reports indicated that the MLBPA had planned to vote Sunday on whether or not to accept the league’s latest offer, which consisted of a 60-game season at full prorated pay and expanded playoffs.

Ultimately, the players did not vote on Sunday, according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. So the league’s 60-game offer remains, but the timeline on the potential start to spring training has been pushed back.

The #MLB proposal remains for 60 games but spring training likely would be pushed back to the June 29-July 4 week, with hopes of starting the season around July 24-27.

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) June 21, 2020

Rosenthal adds that players had signed off on Manfred having the right to terminate the 2020 season at any point after consulting with medical experts and the MLBPA. They were also concerned that if the season was shortened they would be giving away 2021 post-season and getting too little in return.

MLB currently hopes to begin its season around July 24-27.

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https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiZGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnNwb3J0c25ldC5jYS9iYXNlYmFsbC9tbGIvcmVwb3J0LW1hbmZyZWQtb2ZmZXJzLXR3ZWFrcy0yMDIxLXNlYXNvbi1tbGJwYS1tdWxscy1kZWNpc2lvbi_SAWtodHRwczovL3d3dy5zcG9ydHNuZXQuY2EvYmFzZWJhbGwvbWxiL3JlcG9ydC1tYW5mcmVkLW9mZmVycy10d2Vha3MtMjAyMS1zZWFzb24tbWxicGEtbXVsbHMtZGVjaXNpb24vc24tYW1wLw?oc=5

2020-06-21 19:49:00Z
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