The are differing opinions on the MLB season happening among ESPN's talking heads. Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports

ESPN's Buster Olney: Wouldn't 'bet' on MLB playing this year

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 5/14/20

On Wednesday, ESPN's Jeff Passan gave Major League Baseball fans a glimmer of hope when he said on an edition of "Get Up" that he believes MLB owners and the Players Association will agree to terms to begin the 2020 season this summer amid the coronavirus pandemic:

Nothing about MLB and the MLBPA’s talks Tuesday changed the calculus in any negotiation right now: Both parties have far too much to lose to allow something as solvable as money to wreck a season. Talked more about it with @Espngreeny on @GetUpESPN this morning. pic.twitter.com/YvrDcoVsMA
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) May 13, 2020

One colleague disagreed with Passan the following morning.

While speaking on the ESPN Cleveland program "The Really Big Show," Buster Olney offered a grim forecast for a campaign that hasn't yet gotten underway:

.@Buster_ESPN Buster Olney: "If I were to bet, I would say baseball won't come back this year."
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) May 14, 2020

Olney directly said the USA’s botching of the pandemic regarding testing is one reason#MLB https://t.co/taFDP7Aufr
— Zac Wassink (@ZacWassink) May 14, 2020

Follow Passan's comments on Wednesday, Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Trevor Bauer and Rachel Luba, Bauer's agent, lashed out at a proposal from the owners that includes the players accepting a 50-50 revenue split after the parties agreed in March that the league would pro-rate salaries if the virus outbreak shortened the season that originally was scheduled to begin in late March.

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher and 2018 Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell made headlines when he said he won't play for a reduced salary because of the risks involved with playing during the uncontrolled pandemic.

Snell added he's willing to sit the season out, something Collin McHugh of the Boston Red Sox suggested could happen around the league earlier this month.

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