Minnesota Twins baseball will be returning after the MLB voted to start a 60 game season that follows the original March 26th agreement.
After months of negotiations and stalled talks, there maybe a 2020 Minnesota Twins season after all. On Monday night, Major League Baseball issued a statement saying that “the MLB clubs have unanimously voted to proceed with the 2020 season in adherence of the March 26 agreement.”
The league’s decision came after Monday night’s vote by the MLB Players Association to reject MLB’s proposal for a 2020 season. The vote was 33-5 against the proposal. The voters consisted of one MLBPA player representative from each team, and eight members of the union’s Executive Committee.
The MLB framework for the season is as follows:
1. 60 game season.
2. Universal DH for two years.
3. $33 million in forgiven salary advances that would increase the take home pay of 61% of major league players.
4. A guaranteed $25 million in playoff pools in 2020.
5. Overall earnings for players at 104% of prorated salary.
6. No expanded postseason in 2021.
There are two conditions that must be met before the MLB season starts:
1. The players must report to camp by July 1.
2. MLBPA must agree to the safety protocols, from the original March 26 proposal, with the goal of trying to protect players and personal during practices and games.
The MLBPA has until 5:00 pm Tuesday to respond to a few other items. Neither of the two conditions mentioned, appear to be deal breakers.
Player reaction to the decision was swift and direct. “It’s absolute death for this industry to keep acting as it has been. Both sides,” Cincinnati pitcher Trevor Bauer tweeted in a rare instance of a player criticizing the union. “We’re driving the bus straight off a cliff. How is this good for anyone involved? COVID-19 has already presented a lose, lose, lose situation and we’ve somehow found a way to make it worse. Incredible.”
The two sides are now forced to grapple with the outbreaks of the novel coronavirus in the past week. Forty MLB players and staff have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last week. The exact number of clubs affected isn’t known but is reportedly more than 10.
MLB has reportedly shut down all spring training facilities after the outbreak. To reopen the facilities, each complex must undergo a deep cleaning. In addition, players will need to test negative before they can be permitted to return.
So it looks like the Minnesota Twins may play baseball in 2020 after all. But as with everything in this unprecedented year, hang on to your hats. It still could be a bumpy ride until opening day.