MLB Owners Reportedly Doubt if Even a 60-Game Regular Season Can Happen
By Scott Rogust
After a glimmer of hope earlier this week, the MLB and Players Association are back to square one, and the 29290 season is in doubt. The owners did offer a 60-game season framework, but once the MLBPA countered with a 70-game campaign, the head honchos threw a tantrum.
Even so, any actual season is likely to be even shorter at this rate.
According to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, MLB owners are unsure if they can even squeeze in 60 games this season due to the setbacks caused by the coronavirus pandemic and the protracted nature of the ongoing negotiations.
MLB owners now are openly wondering if they can squeeze in a 60-game season with COVID-19 pushing back the start of spring training until perhaps July, and season starting no earlier than July 24-27.A July 27 start would leave 63 days on the calendar until the regular season ends
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) June 20, 2020
As Nightengale notes, the season would likely begin near July 27 if the current proposal prevails, leaving them just 63 days to play 60 games before the first day of October.
On Friday, eight members of the Philadelphia Phillies tested positive for COVID-19 at the team's spring facility in Clearwater, Florida, and the Toronto Blue Jays followed suit after a player showed coronavirus-like symptoms down the road in Dunedin. Later that evening, the league shut down all Spring Training facilities in order for all teams to perform a deep clean.
Considering all 30 teams will have to change their plans, resumed Spring Training will likely be postponed until July.
Every #MLB club has now decided to have their spring-training camp in their own home cities with the recent surge of COVID-19 in Arizona and Florida.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) June 20, 2020
There's major uncertainty regarding whether the players' union will even agree to the league's 60-game proposal. If they were to accept the deal, they'd waive the right to file a grievance against the league. It's entirely possible that they could force the league's hand into mandating a shorter season.
Whether or not baseball actually happens in 2020, the endgame is coming between the MLB and the MLBPA. Fingers crossed that this whole thing doesn't implode on itself.