MLB 2020 Shortened Season: Everything You Need to Know

The past two months have been pretty tumultuous for MLB and the players’ association. But, now MLB has announced an imposed 60-game season which has been approved by the Players’ association. The good news is we can finally see baseball again — with that we must know everything about the MLB 2020 Shortened Season.

Here’s a sneak peek into some important dates:

The start of spring training: July 1

Opening Day: July 24

Trade deadline: August 31

End of the regular season: September 27 (Tentatively)

End of the postseason: Before November 1 (Tentatively)

Players’ Salaries for the season

Another important thing to discuss — is the players’ salaries for which this negotiation was stretched this long. It was the money that the whole mess was created and in the end, MLB had to use its power to go for an imposed 60-game season. The owners & players have been battling for settling compensation and in the end both the sides had to compromise a little over it. While players got the full prorated salary, but in a much shorter season. The owners could not convince the players for additional pay cuts. With a smaller 60-game season, there will be a significant decrease in the overall cost of the entire season.

MLB 60-game season.

The players will be paid full part of the prorated salaries with a 60-game season and the players will be getting 37% of the full-season salary. For instance, Mike Trout will be paid $14 million in prorated-salary which could have been $37.7 million in full-season salary, and Gerrit Cole will be getting $13.3 -million prorated, which could have been $37.7 million for the full season.

The minimum for the season was $563,500 and with 60-game prorated pay the minimum will reach $208,700. This is going to be a significant loss for the players, and that is the reason they have continually rejected any further salary cuts when there was already an agreement to pay full-prorated salaries during March. Besides this, the players do not have any other salary protection if in case there is again some kind of disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Grievance against MLB.

The Majors league union reserves the right to file a grievance against the league stating that the MLB has not put in the efforts required to get things at the place and to play as many games as it could have been possible. This would further help the players to get back their pay and access to the financial status of the league. If there were any outcome of the negotiation, with players agreeing on a proposal, the right to file the grievance would have been waived-off. However, we can look forward to enjoying some actual baseball. But, at the same time, it is important to be wary of the COVID-19 pandemic that is still there.