Minnesota Twins Could Start Season On July 4 After MLB Owners Reportedly Approve Proposal
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO/AP) -- It appears the Minnesota Twins could be playing ball as soon as July 4 after Major League Baseball owners reportedly approved a proposal for the players' union. Games this season, however, will look very different.
On Monday, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred held a conference call with the 30 owners to discuss the league's plan to begin the 2020 season. The plan was approved, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reports, and will be submitted to the MLB's players' union (MLBPA) on Tuesday.
CBS Sports points out that this is the first proposal and there will likely be counter-proposals and so on.
According to CBS Sports, MLB and owners will seek additional pay reductions from MLBPA to account for revenue lost by not having fans in the stands. That issue is expected to be contentious in negotiations.
In the proposal, spring training will begin at some point in June with Opening Day happening in early-July. The Associated Press reports that sources tell them that Opening Day will be the Fourth of July.
Other aspects of the proposal include a roughly 80-game regional schedule, postponement of the All-Star Game and an expanded postseason. Read more on CBS Sports.
In mid-March, the Twins delayed Spring Training and the MLB delayed Opening Day due to the coronavirus pandemic.
(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)