Major League Baseball could issue a policy of some sort to address minor-league player pay during the coronavirus pandemic, as the league is reportedly preparing to weigh in on the issue.
Among the many questions facing the baseball industry during the coronavirus pandemic is how to address pay for Minor League Baseball players. Most MiLB players struggle to make ends meet normally and do not earn a salary during spring training, but their economic situations are further complicated by the increasingly likely prospect of a shortened season and, for most players, a mandate to return home from camp amidst the ongoing public health crisis.
MLB has not addressed that issue directly thus far, but that could soon change. While the way it could take shape remains to be seen, MLB is reportedly expected to issue a directive of some sort to address MiLB player compensation as the pandemic continues. More from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Ensuring minor league players are compensated in some way has been an important discussion point in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic that has delayed the start of the 2020 season.
It’s been a contentious one around Major League Baseball, too.
But according to multiple Pirates sources, there have been ongoing discussions on how to rectify this issue, though those people worried a resolution might have to wait until after MLB and the MLBPA agree on compensation and a variety of other things related to the COVID-19-related stoppage.
Although the league itself has yet to issue a mandate or guideline for compensating MiLB players, a few organizations have undertaken their own initiatives. The St. Louis Cardinals, San Diego Padres, and Los Angeles Dodgers, among others, continue to pay spring-training per diems, while the Pittsburgh Pirates covered travel expenses for players who were required to leave Pirate City in Bradenton.
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