Baseball is back after MLB, players agree to July 1 report date, health protocols
Major League Baseball finally has a plan in place for the 2020 season. On Tuesday, the players union first agreed to a July 1 report date for Spring Training 2.0 as MLB seeks to begin a coronavirus-shortened 2020 season, according to various reports.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan also reports the sides have reached an agreement on health and safety protocols for the 60-game season imposed by commissioner Rob Manfred on Monday. The season is expected to open on July 23 or July 24.
MLB had given the players union 24 hours to OK the so-called “operating manual” for 2020, which includes details on how the league plans to combat coronavirus spread. The sides went beyond the deadline, but finally came to agreement after months of stalemates.
Been waiting almost three months to type this.
Baseball is back.
A schedule is in place.
Camps open July 1. https://t.co/h00xlOiz12— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 24, 2020
The MLBPA was quick to confirm the reports, which allowed baseball fans to express joy for the first time since March.
All remaining issues have been resolved and Players are reporting to training camps.
— MLBPA Communications (@MLBPA_News) June 24, 2020
Agreeing to the health and safety protocols proved tougher than a report date since the world at large is still trying to figure that out and things are changing on a daily basis. However, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reported there were no major hold ups, which allowed an agreement to be reached Tuesday night.
The commissioner-imposed season comes after the players union and owners couldn’t find common ground in a long back-and-forth of negotiations. The players ultimately rejected the final offer from owners, knowing that Manfred would institute a season of his liking.
While money was the sticking point in negotiations, recent events have proven that baseball has more to worry about in its return. Last week, MLB closed all 30 spring training sites as reports of positive coronavirus tests among players and staff members totaled 40 people league-wide in a week.
The Athletic’s Jayson Stark also reported a string of roster-related rules and important dates for fans to keep in mind.
Here come more adjusted rules for 2020:
*Transactions freeze ends this Friday at noon ET
*Teams must submit 60-man player pool names by Sunday at 3 ET
*In-person scouting will be allowed.
*Teams can take up to 3 taxi squad players on road (but if 3, one must be a catcher) https://t.co/Og6Ix7TBeE— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) June 23, 2020
One more wrinkle that isn't finalized:
MLB still debating whether to let teams sign players to minor-league contracts
Those players wouldn't count against 40-man big-league rosters but would count against 60-player pools
This would cause massive opt-outs 5 days before openers!— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) June 23, 2020
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