Major League Baseball reportedly is making more changes to cope with the COVID-19 outbreak.
According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, sources say MLB commissioner Rob Manfred will suspend Uniform Employee Contracts effective May 1. This would allow teams to furlough employees or reduce their pay as teams work through the current crisis.
“The Uniform Player Contracts contain a similar provision to the UECs, allowing Manfred to withhold pay in the event of a national emergency,” Rosenthal writes.
“… A club’s nonplaying personnel includes managers and coaches at the major- and minor-league levels, some front-office staffers and scouts. Once baseball suspends the contracts of those employees, clubs can talk to them about a variety of adjustments, including the deferral of pay, sources said. The suspension will allow clubs to continue those employees’ health benefits.”
This news comes just two days after Rosenthal reported Manfred “offered no specifics on how the season might begin” during a conference call with MLB managers. One manager called the league’s plans “vague,” while another said there’s “nothing concrete” in place.
So, yeah. Not great.
