Report: Players Association Rejects MLB's 60-Game Proposal for 2020 Season

On Monday, the Players Association (MLBPA) rejected the 60-game proposal from Major League Baseball, according to ESPN's Jesse Rogers. The vote was 33-5 against.

Now, the lifeblood of the season rests in the hands of MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred.

After a face-to-face meeting between Manfred and MLBPA chief Tony Clark last week, club owners believed the 60-game plan was the framework for a potential agreement. The most significant concession from the league was finally giving way on paying the players their full prorated salaries. On the contrary, the players union viewed it as another proposal and countered with a 70-game proposal of their own.

Ultimately, MLB drew a line in the sand. They told the players union on Friday they would not offer a counterproposal, stating they would not stage any season longer than 60 games. The Players Association took the weekend to mull over whether to accept the 60-game proposal or opt for Manfred to implement a season of his choosing—a power granted to him by the March Agreement between the two sides.

Another monkey wrench that gone thrown into the mix was the spike of positive cases of COVID-19 throughout several clubs including the Phillies, Blue Jays, Giants, Astros, and Angels. In response, MLB shut down all 30 spring training facilities in Florida and Arizona.

When reports of these cases were released on Friday, the union decided to take the entire weekend to go over their options. They could either accept MLB's proposal, guaranteeing a 60-game season or reject it and hold onto their right to file a grievance against the league for bad-faith negotiations.

Multiple outlets reported the league would implement a season in the ballpark of 54-60 games. According to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, Manfred is expected to implement a 60-game season that would begin on July 29. However, nothing is official yet.

Ultimately, the COVID-19 cases and the calendar ended up favoring the owners. They did not want to go over 60 games. Now, the focus between the two sides needs to shift to health and safety protocols so that a season remains feasible.

According to Joel Sherman of The New York Post, Manfred and all 30 owners will participate in a conference call on Monday night to decide their next course of action.

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