Several MLB Teams Releasing Minor Leaguers in Latest Wild Development During Baseball Hiatus
By Michael Luciano
The minor leagues have been ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic, forcing the postponement and cancellation of large chunks of their season, and their MLB franchises have decided to gut their rosters as a cost-saving measure.
The New York Mets and Cincinnati Reds were two of several teams that parted ways with around 30 different minor league players this morning. One agent referred to this development as a "war zone."
Mets, Reds and other teams are releasing minor leaguers today. “Literally a war zone out there,” one agent called it. @ByRobertMurray 1st mentioned mets releases
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) May 28, 2020
In addition to the Mets and Reds, the Milwaukee Brewers, Seattle Mariners, and World Series champion Washington Nationals also agreed to cut ties with a large chunk of their farm system. The Mariners, however, agreed to pay those minor leaguers a $400 per week stipend through August, which should earn them a small golf clap for their almsgiving.
Nationals and Mets are other teams releasing some minor leaguers today, according to multiple sources. The exact number is unclear, but they join Brewers, Mariners as known teams to make cuts.
— Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) May 28, 2020
Perhaps the biggest name included in these cuts is former Colorado Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez, who was trying to latch on with the Mariners.
Carlos Gonzalez is one of the players the Mariners are releasing
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) May 28, 2020
Releasing minor leaguers in the summer months isn't unusual, but getting rid of so many players all in one lump sum is just another strange quirk in an already weird 2020 MLB season.