Trevor Rosenthal has yet to retire a batter this season - MLB

Nationals reliever Trevor Rosenthal has had a forgettable start to the 2019 season. The right-hander missed all of 2018 recovering from Tommy John surgery, which allowed the Nationals to sign him on the cheap: a one-year, $7 million deal. Rosenthal, a former All-Star closer, entered Sunday’s action without having retired a single batter.

Here’s how Rosenthal’s appearances have gone:

March 30 vs. Mets: Single, single, walk, RBI single
March 31 vs. Mets: RBI single
April 3 vs. Phillies: Walk, Walk

Things did not get any better for Rosenthal on Sunday against the Mets. He entered with the Nationals leading 12-6, a very low-leverage situation. Rosenthal proceeded to hit pinch-hitter Dominic Smith with a pitch, then uncorked a pair of wild pitches to allow Smith to move to third base. Rosenthal finished off the at-bat against Luis Guillorme by walking him on four pitches. That was enough for manager Dave Martinez, who substituted Wander Suero in for Rosenthal. Suero proceeded to get two strikeouts and a line out to see his way out of danger.

As evidenced by the walks, wild pitches, and hit batter, Rosenthal doesn’t have anything resembling control. He’s still throwing in the upper-90’s, but that’s only useful when it can be spotted properly. One wonders how much leash the Nationals will give Rosenthal. The Nats still won on Sunday to get back to .500, but in a hyper-competitive NL East, the club can’t afford to give away any games. One game could be the difference between winning the division and winning the Wild Card, or winning the Wild Card and sitting at home in October.

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NEW YORK – Minor league players reached a historic initial collective bargaining agreement with Major League Baseball on Wednesday that will more than double player salaries, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because details were not announced.

As part of the five-year deal, MLB agreed during the contract not to reduce minor league affiliates from the current 120.

The sides reached the deal two days before the start of the minor league season and hours after a federal judge gave final approval to a $185 million settlement reached with MLB last May of a lawsuit filed in 2014 alleging violations of federal minimum wage laws.

Union staff recommended approval and about 5,500 minor leaguers were expected to vote on Thursday. MLB teams must also vote to approve and are expected to do so over the next week.

Minimum salaries will rise from $4,800 to $19,800 at rookie ball, $11,000 to $26,200 at Low Class A, $11,000 to $27,300 at High Class A, $13,800 to $27,300 at Double A and $17,500 to $45,800 at Triple-A. Players will be paid in the offseason for the first time.

Most players will be guaranteed housing, and players at Double-A and Triple-A will be given a single room. Players below Double-A will have the option of exchanging club housing for a stipend. The domestic violence and drug policies will be covered by the union agreement. Players who sign for the first time at 19 or older can become minor league free agents after six seasons instead of seven.

Major leaguers have been covered by a labor contract since 1968 and the average salary has soared from $17,000 in 1967 to an average of $4.22 million last season. Full-season minor leaguers earned as little as $10,400 last year.

The Major League Baseball Players Association took over as the bargaining representative of the roughly 5,500 players with minor league contracts last September after a lightning 17-day organization drive.

Minor leaguers players will receive four weeks of retroactive spring training pay for this year. They will get $625 weekly for spring training and offseason training camp and $250 weekly for offseason workouts at home.

Beginning in 2024, teams can have a maximum of 165 players under contract during the season and 175 during the offseason, down from the current 190 and 180.

The union will take over group licensing rights for players.

Negotiating for players was led by Tony Clark, Bruce Meyer, Harry Marino, Ian Penny and Matt Nussbaum. MLB Deputy Commissioner Dan Halem headed management’s bargainers.