Reports: Chance MLB Won’t Play Increases In Money Fight
Jun 15, 2020, 3:35 PM | Updated: 5:02 pm
Commissioner of Baseball Robert D. Manfred Jr. speaks at a press conference on youth initiatives hosted by Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association at Citi Field on June 16, 2016 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
NEW YORK — The chance that there will be no Major League Baseball season increased substantially Monday when the commissioner’s office told the players’ association it will not proceed with a schedule unless the union waives its right to claim management violated a March agreement between the feuding sides.
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MLB’s action was described to The Associated Press by a person familiar with the details who spoke on condition of anonymity because no announcement was authorized.
Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said ahead of last week’s amateur draft that the chance of a season was “100%.”
“I can tell you unequivocally we are going to play Major League Baseball this year,” he said on ESPN’s draft broadcast.
BREAKING: MLB commissioner Rob Manfred tells @Espngreeny that he’s “not confident” there will be a 2020 baseball season. “Unfortunately," Manfred said, "I can’t tell you that I’m a 100% certain that’s gonna happen.”
News at @espn: https://t.co/h1I6Yh5R55
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 15, 2020
Major League Baseball Players Association Executive Director Tony Clark released the following statement:
“Players are disgusted that after Rob Manfred unequivocally told players and fans that there would ‘100%’ be a 2020 season, he has decided to go back on his word and is now threatening to cancel the entire season. Any implication that that the Players Association has somehow delayed progress on health and safety protocols is completely false, as Rob has recently acknowledged the parties are ‘very, very close.’ This is the latest threat is just one more indication that Major League Baseball has been negotiating in bad faith since the beginning. This has always been about extracting additional pay cuts from players and this is just another day and another bad faith tactic in their ongoing campaign.”
Major League Baseball Players Association Executive Director Tony Clark today released the following statement: pic.twitter.com/ibyOqB93WC
— MLBPA Communications (@MLBPA_News) June 15, 2020
