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MLB hopes to move forward with a season by resuming spring training. Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports

Jon Heyman: MLB wants spring training to start June 10

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 5/26/20

Soon after reports surfaced on Twitter that the MLB Players Association was "extremely disappointed" with the economic offer delivered by owners on Tuesday for the start of the 2020 season amid the coronavirus pandemic, MLB Network insider Jon Heyman leaked a couple of dates to keep an eye on over the next few weeks.

Per Heyman, a "soft" deadline for negotiations between the union and owners is set for June 1, with the hope that spring training 2.0 can begin on June 10:

MLB goal is to start spring training June 10. So the “soft” deadline for a deal has been said to be June 1. But that’s probably soft.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) May 26, 2020

Theoretically, individual clubs can handle spring training preparations as they wish. Last week, Heyman tweeted the Philadelphia Phillies and Texas Rangers are among teams planning to hold spring training at their home ballparks.

The New York Yankees and New York Mets, meanwhile, intend to send players and team personnel to Florida for their resumed preseason schedules.

This assumes MLB and the MLBPA will sign a deal on or around June 1. The Athletic's Evan Drellich, Joel Sherman of the New York Post, and Heyman reported on Tuesday the two sides aren't close to an agreement regarding financial aspects of a pandemic-shortened season and, as Sherman tweeted, "health/safety protocols" necessary for playing during an uncontrolled virus outbreak.

Heyman added that top-tier stars may have to accept massive pay reductions, but that the two sides don't want to see the season canceled merely because of money:

In MLB’s proposed scale minimum salary players will get >100 percent of prorated pay but close to it. Star players will take big hit. Stars can make up some assuming postseason is played but it’s estimated stars will still take about a 50 pct additional hit, more by 1 accounting.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) May 26, 2020

Exact percentages in MLB proposal aren’t known, but people involved estimate the best-paid stars — Trout, Cole, Verlander, Scherzer, etc — might make about 20-30 percent of their full salary over 82 games plus postseason. So for Cole, for instance, that’d be not 36M but about 9M
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) May 26, 2020

While union may not love MLB’s first proposal it’s important to note that this is simply that — a first offer. While there isn’t a ton of time — MLB is hoping to begin spring training about June 10 — the sides are determined not to let economics stand in the way of a season.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) May 26, 2020

The owners are awaiting a counter from the MLBPA:

MLB statement: “We made a proposal to the union that is completely consistent with the economic realities facing our sport. We look forward to a responsive proposal from the MLBPA.”
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) May 26, 2020

Also on Tuesday, New York Mets starting pitcher Marcus Stroman tweeted "this season is not looking promising" in response to updates on negotiations between the players and owners.

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