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It was just announced that the MLBPA and MLB have finally come to an agreement on a plan that will solve all service-time issues going involving the shortened 2020 season. As of right now, the players have already vote on the agreement and it should become ratified no later than Friday.
Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association have a deal, sources tell ESPN. The players have voted on it already. MLB owners are expected to ratify it tomorrow. An excellent sign that draws a path forward as baseball tries to figure out when it will return.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 27, 2020
The highlights of the deal include specific details on how the owners plan to pay their players through the first two months of the season since regular season games have started officially being canceled. All players will be paid in advance of $170 million across the months of April and May. They also made sure that, in the event of a canceled season, the players would still keep all that money.
One of the major notes of the deal is the decision to allow a full year of service time to be accrued in the event the entire season being canceled. Big names like Mookie Betts and Trevor Bauer will now not have to wait an extra year to get back on the free agent market.
MLB and the MLBPA have struck a deal in which commissioner Rob Manfred has the discretion to shorten the 2020 draft to as few as five rounds, ESPN's @JeffPassan reports.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) March 27, 2020
Here are some notable active players drafted outside the first five rounds. pic.twitter.com/yw496MYCEL
Lastly, MLB has been given the power to shorten the 2020 MLB Draft to just five rounds. There’s also a good chance the draft might be postponed at least a month into July.