Yesterday, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred held a press conference with 30 team owners to discuss the MLB’s new proposed plan to restart the 2020 season. The plan was approved and will be submitted to the MLBPA on today.

This is the first of what should be a few proposals and counter proposals from the MLBPA over the next few weeks. All sounds great to resume play July 4th weekend, but given the salary implications, we could be in for a prolonged discussion on the best way to move forward until both sides are happy.

Key Points:

• 82-game regional schedule and universal DH
• 30-man active rosters with a 20-player taxi squad
• 14 teams in the postseason with games played in home cities in October
• 50/50 revenue split for players and owners

Regional Schedule & Universal DH

The two East divisions would play each other, the two Central divisions would play each other, and the two West divisions would play each other. The universal DH would protect pitchers. MLB and the MLBPA are worried about increased injury risk following the shutdown.

30-man active rosters with 20-player taxi squad

With the minor-league seasons in major jeopardy, the 20-man “taxi-squad” would essentially fill it’s purpose by giving MLB teams a roster of players who are ready and available to play in the case of injury or a needed call-up. The rest of the minor-league players would reportedly be involved in an “extended Spring Training” although nothing is finalized yet.

14 teams in the postseason with games played in home cities in October

The proposal included an expanded playoff field, most likely to help recoup some of the revenue lost, as well as simply evening out the competition in a shortened season. Here’s how the new playoff format would work:

• Teams with the best record in each league get a wild card round bye.
• Two other division winners and top wild card team host all games of three-game series in wild card round.
• Two other division winners get to pick their wild card round opponents. The other two wild cad teams are paired up.

Players do not get paid salaries during postseason play in the MLB. They rely on a bonus structure through post season shares, which is why an expanded playoff field for the MLBPA would be beneficial.

Revenue Sharing Plan 

Revenue sharing arrangements are common, just not in the MLB.

• NFL players get 48 percent
• NHL players get 50 percent
• NBA players get 49 to 51 percent depending on expected revenue

This is probably the biggest obstacle that still needs to be addressed by the MLB and players association. MLB will propose a 50/50 revenue split in 2020. How that money is distributed among the players is presumably up to the MLBPA to figure out.