Union delivers 70-game plan to MLB in counterproposal - ESPN

2:02 PM ET

The Major League Baseball Players Association has delivered a counterproposal to MLB that includes a 70-game season and expanded playoffs in 2020 and 2021.

In a statement announcing the proposal, MLBPA executive director Tony Clark said: "We believe this offer represents the basis for an agreement on a resumption of play."

Among the details in the MLBPA's new proposal, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan:

70-game season from July 19 through Sept. 30;
Full prorated pay;
Spring training to begin June 26-28;
Expanded playoffs in 2020 and 2021 season;
Minimum pool for playoff shares in 2020 based on rounds played, $50 million if full playoff is staged;
50/50 split of incremental TV revenues for any additional postseason games in '21;
Salary-advance forgiveness for all players in Tiers I to III of March agreement;
Opt-outs -- full service/salary for players who are high-risk and those who live with high-risk individuals;
$10 million for social justice initiatives (funded from welfare plan);
$50 million to be transferred from joint funds (ITF) to the commissioner's discretionary fund;
Clubs granted permission to sell advertisements/patches on uniforms in '20 and '21;
Enhanced housing allowances in spring training and regular season;
Universal designated hitter in '20 and '21;
Parties to collaborate on broadcast enhancements;
Mutual waiver of potential grievances under the March agreement.

Following a four-hour negotiation in Phoenix between Clark and commissioner Rob Manfred on Tuesday, MLB emerged believing that the framework of a deal had been agreed upon, sources told ESPN. The union disagreed with that accounting, and players Wednesday said they viewed MLB's proposed 60-game schedule as too short.

"In my discussions with Rob in Arizona, we explored a potential pro rata framework, but I made clear repeatedly in that meeting and after it that there were a number of significant issues with what he proposed, in particular the number of games. It is unequivocally false to suggest that any tentative agreement or other agreement was reached in that meeting," Clark said in a statement Thursday.

"In fact, in conversations within the last 24 hours, Rob invited a counterproposal for more games that he would take back to the owners. We submitted that counterproposal today."

Absent a deal, the league has the ability to implement a season of its desired length, likely around 50 games, per a March 26 agreement between the sides, a move that probably would lead to a grievance from the players. The union surveyed player leadership about the proper path forward, cognizant that its decision could sour owners and prompt the league to implement a season instead of coming to a negotiated agreement.

In the deal MLB proposed, players would be paid their full prorated salaries -- a total of $1.5 billion, or about 37% of their full-season salaries -- and would receive another $25 million for postseason play and $33 million in forgiveness on the $170 million advance they received in the March agreement.

The postseason would expand from 10 to 16 teams for the next two seasons, and a designated hitter would be added to the National League in both years. MLB would donate $10 million to social justice initiatives and teams would be allowed to add advertisements to their uniforms, sources said.

ESPN's Jesse Rogers contributed to this report.

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