MLB closing in on deal following commissioner, player union meeting, reports

Posted: Jun 17, 2020 / 02:34 PM EDT / Updated: Jun 17, 2020 / 02:39 PM EDT

FILE – In this Nov. 21, 2019, file photo, baseball commissioner Rob Manfred speaks to the media at the owners meeting in Arlington, Texas. The chance that there will be no Major League Baseball season increased substantially Monday, June 15, 2020, when the commissioner’s office told the players’ association it will not proceed with a schedule amid the coronavirus pandemic unless the union waives its right to claim management violated a March agreement between the feuding sides. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)

NEW YORK (AP/WFLA) – Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred met with players’ union head Tony Clark in Arizona in an attempt to restart talks aimed at starting the pandemic-delayed season.

The meeting was disclosed to The Associated Press by a person familiar with the session who spoke on condition of anonymity because no announcement was made.

Clark has homes in the Phoenix area and in New Jersey, and he has been in Arizona since spring training was cut short on March 12. The meeting Monday was called at Manfred’s request, the person said.

MLB Network Insider Jon Heyman reports MLB and players union are closing in on an agreement to play the 2020 season the deal is expected to be for prorated pay and include expanded playoffs.

Breaking: MLB and players union are closing in on an agreement to play the 2020 season, via players. Deal expected to be for prorated pay and include expanded playoffs.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) June 17, 2020

A deal is not fully in place however according to fellow MLB insider Joel Sherman negotiations have begun.

There is not even a deal in principle between MLB/PA, but 1 involved person said with Manfred/Clark meeting face to face the rhetoric portion of the program is over, and the real negotiations have begun.
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) June 17, 2020

Major League Baseball has made three proposals to start the season and the union two, and the sides remain about $1 billion apart in guaranteed salary. Players originally were set to earn $4 billion in salaries before the coronavirus outbreak began.

The union cut off talks Saturday, a day after MLB’s last proposal, and said additional negotiations were futile. Players told MLB to unilaterally set the schedule but Manfred said MLB would not while there was a threat of a grievance.

According to Heyman, as part of the pending agreement to play the 2020 season between MLB and the players union, the players union has agreed to waive any grievance.

As part of the pending agreement to play the 2020 season between MLB and the players union, the union has agreed to waive any grievance.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) June 17, 2020

The sides reached a deal on March 26 in which players agreed to prorated salaries, part of an agreement that included a guarantee of service time even if no games are played this year.

Teams say they need more pay cuts to afford to play in empty ballparks. Players say they will not accept additional salary reductions.

This is a developing story stick with WFLA for updates