MLB players union head says 2020 Olympics difficult

SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) The head of the Major League Baseball Players Association says it will be difficult for big leaguers to participate at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Baseball returns to Olympics after a 12-year absence for the Tokyo Games, which are scheduled for July 24-Aug. 9 - in the middle of baseball's season.

''There are challenges with the schedule, and there are challenges with major leaguers being involved,'' Clark said Thursday at the Baltimore Orioles' spring training camp.

In 2008, players on major league 25-man rosters and disabled lists on June 26 were ineligible to play. The U.S. roster included 17 players from Triple-A, seven from Double-A and college pitcher Stephen Strasburg, now with the Washington Nationals.