After failing to reach a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) last week before Tuesday’s deadline – which resulted in MLB cancelling the first two series of the season – the league and the Players Association have started talked again.
They had a meeting on Sunday in which the MLBPA presented its latest offer to the league.
In the proposal, the minimum salary and the competitive balance tax (CBT) threshold remained the same, while they agreed to lower their bonus pool of money for pre-arbitration players from $85 million to $80 million.
Those three topics (minimum salary, CBT, and pre-arb bonus pool) remain the three most difficult obstacles in CBA negotiations.
The players have already agreed to give the league a shorter period of time to streamline rule changes in 2023, such as the pitch clock, banning the shift, and bigger bases.
The union has also agreed to expanded playoffs, although the format hasn’t been finalized.
As Long As Core Economics Issues Aren’t Solved, There Will Be No Baseball
However, as long as the core economic issues aren’t solved, there will be no baseball.
According to MLB insider Bob Nightengale, “there’s now a $50 million difference ($80 million to $30 million) in the pre-arbitration pool between the two sides while the luxury tax threshold differences ($18 million in 2022 and $137 million over five years) remain the same.”
There's now a $50 million difference ($80 million to $30 million) in the pre-arbitration pool between the two sides while the luxury tax threshold differences ($18 million in 2022 and $137 million over five years) remain the same.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) March 6, 2022
The league could be willing to move a bit up in its $220 million CBT proposal (despite four owners being adamantly opposed), but players remain firm at $238 million.
Neither side has blinked as far as the minimum salary, while both have shown small movements towards meeting in the middle in the bonus pool for outstanding pre-arbitration players.
The two parties should eventually reach a deal.
How many regular season games will have been lost by then?
NEXT: MLB Players Believe They Have Given Up A Lot
