Major League Baseball is one step closer to finalizing health-and-safety protocols for a 2020 season.
The players association responded to the league’s 67-page health-and-safety document on Thursday, according to multiple reports. But the back-and-forth has only just begun.
There are several hurdles to an agreement on health protocols. The Athletic first reported that the players association’s response touches on a wide range of topics, including testing frequency, positive test protocol, protection of for high-risk players and family members, and access to pre-and post-game therapies.
Independently, players have publicly expressed concern about a section of the owners’ proposal that restricted use of hydrotherapy pools and clubhouse showers.
Having a common goal – limiting the spread of COVID-19 – should help smooth health proposal negotiations between the players and owners. The same is not true for the financial proposal, which the owners reportedly have waited to present to the union. Health-and-safety negotiations could set the tone for future financial talks.
If the two groups can collaborate on the former, that working relationship could come in handy when the tension rises over the question of revenue splitting – a part of the owners’ proposal that the union has characterized as a non-starter. If health-and-safety negotiations turn sour, that could be a precursor to even more headbutting on more contentious topics.