Rob Manfred Releases Official Statement Telling MLB Teams to Move Forward With Season Plans

The 2020 MLB season is finally starting to materialize after some good dialogue between commissioner Rob Manfred and the players' union, as the league has agreed to a framework that could become the bedrock of a truncated season.

Manfred, who met with MLBPA head Tony Clark earlier on Wednesday and crafted a new proposal that is officially on the table, wants teams to "move forward" with plans for a 2020 season, showing confidence that, in some form, what they agreed on will materialize.

"I am encouraging the clubs to move forward and I trust Tony is doing the same," Manfred said in his statement.

The latest proposal, confirmed by Ken Rosenthal, features 60 games in 70 days, prorated pay, and expanded playoffs in each of the next two seasons. While not a perfect deal, it is a sign that the owners and union are at least starting to talk in a more civil fashion.

While this statement is not a sign of concession on Manfred's part, nor is it a declaration that the 2020 MLB season is right around the corner, it is a sign that the two sides are engaged in dialogue and that an agreement could be finalized at some point during the next several days.