Skip to main content
Monday, November 9, 2026Nov 9
Subscribe
All Sections
Search
More

MLB players say teams ‘depriving America of baseball games’

AP photo by Ross D. Franklin / A baseball is shown on the grass on Feb. 17, 2017, at the Cincinnati Reds' spring training facility in Goodyear, Ariz.
AP photo by Ross D. Franklin / A baseball is shown on the grass on Feb. 17, 2017, at the Cincinnati Reds' spring training facility in Goodyear, Ariz. AP photo by Ross D. Franklin / A baseball is shown on the grass on Feb. 17, 2017, at the Cincinnati Reds' spring training facility in Goodyear, Ariz.

By RONALD BLUM / The Associated Press 5 min read

NEW YORK – Players have accused teams of “depriving America of baseball games” as part of a money fight set off by the coronavirus pandemic and raised the possibility that commissioner Rob Manfred might push ahead with a shortened Major League Baseball season despite the union’s objection.

Bruce Meyer, the union’s chief negotiator, sent a letter to MLB deputy commissioner Dan Halem on Friday threatening that an attempt to play without an agreement could lead players to block any attempt to expand the playoffs and deny consent to neutral-site games in the postseason.

“The league’s cynical tactic of depriving America of baseball games in furtherance of their demand for unwarranted salary concessions is shortsighted and troubling,” Meyer wrote. “Meanwhile, other leagues are moving forward with their plans for resumption.”

Meyer’s letter was first reported by The Athletic, and a copy was obtained by The Associated Press.

MLB made its initial economic proposal on May 26, offering an 82-game regular season schedule and a sliding scale of cuts beyond the prorated shares of salaries the sides agreed to on March 26.