NEW YORK — The Major League Baseball Players Association has proposed optional assignments to the minor leagues be cut from a maximum of five per season to three and asked for more pay and MLB service time for those sent down, a plan aimed at reducing roster churn that teams use to reinforce bullpens in an era when relief pitchers throw an increased portion of games.
During a bargaining session Wednesday with MLB representatives, the union proposed that a pitcher optioned after an outing of at least nine outs or 50 pitches during the seven days before the midseason break for the MLB All-Star Game be given major league pay and service time up until his team’s fourth game after the break.
In addition, a pitcher who is optioned at any time after a game or the next day after an outing of nine outs or 50 pitches would get major league pay and service time for the four days after the appearance.
There often is a wide disparity in pay for players with so-called split contracts. While the major league minimum is $780,000 this year, the minimum in the minors for those with split contracts is primarily $127,100 — and $63,600 for those signing a first MLB deal.
Teams have averaged 4.2 to 4.3 pitchers per game in each season since 2022, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The last season with fewer than four on average was 2014 at 3.98.