Major League Baseball’s owners presented the MLB Players Association with its economic proposal Tuesday.
When baseball initially halted spring training due to the COVID-19 pandemic in March, there was a “good-faith” agreement for players to receive full prorated salaries—but this was contingent on games being played with fans in attendance. Needless to say, fans will not be attending baseball games, at least not at the beginning of the shortened season.
Under MLB’s proposal, 2020 salaries are scaled in this manner, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN:
· $563,501 to $1 million paid at 72.5%
· $1,000,001 to $5 million paid at 50%
· $5,000,001 to $10 million paid at 40%
· $10,000,001 to $20 million paid at 30%
· $20,000,001 and up paid at 20%
Players are expected to reject this proposal, Passan writes.
Here are how things would look for Rockies’ players:
Rockies’ 2020 Payroll Under Owners Proposal
| Player | 2020 Salary | Pro-rated salary | Owners proposal | Percent cut |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | 2020 Salary | Pro-rated salary | Owners proposal | Percent cut |
| Arenado, Nolan | $35,000,000 | $17,716,048 | $5,478,618 | 84.3% |
| Blackmon, Charlie | $21,000,000 | $10,629,629 | $4,061,334 | 80.7% |
| Davis, Wade | $17,000,000 | $8,604,938 | $3,504,544 | 79.4% |
| Desmond, Ian | $15,000,000 | $7,592,592 | $3,200,841 | 78.7% |
| McGee, Jake | $9,500,000 | $4,808,642 | $2,340,347 | 75.4% |
| Shaw, Bryan | $9,000,000 | $4,555,555 | $2,239,112 | 75.1% |
| Story, Trevor | $8,000,000 | $4,049,382 | $2,036,643 | 74.5% |
| Murphy, Daniel | $8,000,000 | $4,049,382 | $2,036,643 | 74.5% |
| Gray, Jon | $5,600,000 | $2,834,568 | $1,550,717 | 72.3% |
| Márquez, Germán | $4,500,000 | $2,277,778 | $1,302,693 | 71.1% |
| Freeland, Kyle | $2,875,000 | $1,455,247 | $891,427 | 69.0% |
| Dahl, David | $2,475,000 | $1,252,778 | $790,193 | 68.1% |
| Oberg, Scott | $2,000,000 | $1,012,346 | $669,977 | 66.5% |
| Wolters, Tony | $1,900,000 | $961,728 | $644,668 | 66.1% |
| González, Chi Chi | $1,750,000 | $885,802 | $606,705 | 65.3% |
| Estévez, Carlos | $1,080,000 | $546,667 | $437,137 | 59.5% |
| Pazos, James | $575,000 | $291,049 | $260,926 | 54.6% |
| Díaz, Jairo | $573,500 | $290,290 | $260,375 | 54.6% |
| McMahon, Ryan | $573,500 | $290,290 | $260,375 | 54.6% |
| Senzatela, Antonio | $573,500 | $290,290 | $260,375 | 54.6% |
| Tapia, Raimel | $573,500 | $290,290 | $260,375 | 54.6% |
| Hampson, Garrett | $568,500 | $287,759 | $258,540 | 54.5% |
| Hoffman, Jeff | $568,500 | $287,759 | $258,540 | 54.5% |
| Kinley, Tyler | $568,500 | $287,759 | $258,540 | 54.5% |
| Almonte, Yency | $565,500 | $286,241 | $257,439 | 54.5% |
| Diehl, Phillip | $565,500 | $286,241 | $257,439 | 54.5% |
| Fuentes, Josh | $565,500 | $286,241 | $257,439 | 54.5% |
| Hilliard, Sam | $565,500 | $286,241 | $257,439 | 54.5% |
| Lambert, Peter | $565,500 | $286,241 | $257,439 | 54.5% |
| Nuñez, Dom | $565,500 | $286,241 | $257,439 | 54.5% |
| Rodgers, Brendan | $565,500 | $286,241 | $257,439 | 54.5% |
| $153,213,000 | $77,525,778 | $35,414,279 | 76.9% |
Nolan Arenado gets his salary cut by nearly $30 million in the first year of a five-year stretch where he was slated to make $35 million (he made $26 million in the first year of his extension in 2019).
It’s quite possible that the contention between the owners and players will shape the free agent market in the 2021-22 offseason. MLB’s current collective bargaining agreement expires after the 2021 season, which also happens to be when Arenado can opt out of his deal with the Rockies. Perhaps that will influence Arenado to remain in purple pinstripes or perhaps his rift with general manager Jeff Bridich will entice him to explore other options regardless (remember when that was the biggest news? Good times).
Trevor Story, who signed a deal to buy out his final two arbitration years this offseason, also would see his extremely team-friendly $8 million contract for 2020 reduced by 74.5% under the owner’s proposal (just a tick over $2 million).
Additionally, the Rockies won an arbitration hearing over catcher Tony Wolters this offseason in a dispute over $575,000. Wolters will get roughly two-thirds of his hearing-decided $1.9 million salary under the proposal of the owners.
While this is only the first proposal laid out by MLB, one local Utahan received information that the MLBPA isn’t optimistic on an agreement being reached.
Probably not much of a surprise, but I just got a text from a MLBPA source saying there’s no way we’re going to see baseball in 2020.
— Thickey Simpkins (@RockyMountainBK) May 26, 2020
And while the economic disagreements have been widely publicized, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reported health and safety protocols are also the subject of discord.
MLB and the MLBPA are far apart on salary issues. But I'm also hearing that a big gap remains on health and safety protocol, too.
— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) May 26, 2020
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I am forever indebted to Max Rieper of Royals Review for his assistance with the creation of this articles’ spreadsheet. You can view what the Kansas City Royals’ payroll would look like here. Al Yellon of Bleed Cubbie Blue also put together the proposal for the Chicago Cubs’ payroll here.
All financial numbers for the Rockies came from Cot’s Contracts.