MLB 2020 schedule: Yankees-Nationals, Giants-Dodgers kick off season

By Jul 6, 2020, 6:19 PM EDT
MLB 2020 schedule
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Baseball took center stage Monday evening as the MLB 2020 schedule was unveiled.

As expected, the Yankees and Nationals will kick off the season on Thursday, July 23, a likely matchup featuring Gerrit Cole and Max Scherzer at 7 PM ET. At 10 ET, the two NL West rivals will square off, which could very well feature Johnny Cueto against Clayton Kershaw. The rest of the teams jump into action on Friday, July 24.

RELATED: How will the 2020 season work?

Due to the pandemic, the MLB 2020 schedule was formulated to reduce travel as much as realistically possible. Of the 60 games, 40 of them will be played against division rivals. The other 20 will be played against teams in the same division of the other league. For example, the Yankees will play 40 games against the Rays, Red Sox, Blue Jays, and Orioles, as well as 20 games against the Braves, Nationals, Mets, Phillies, and Marlins. The Yankees will not play any teams from the AL Central, AL West, NL Central, or NL West.

Needless to say, there is much more imbalance with the schedule than it would have otherwise. The Mets, for example, have a much tougher schedule than, say, the Astros, simply because both East divisions are collectively stronger than the West divisions.

The playoffs are still expected to start on time in early October with the same format: three division winners and two Wild Cards from each league. The Wild Cards will play a one-game playoff to face the highest seed in each league in the Division Series. The two winners of each Division Series in each league move on to play in the League Championship Series. Of course, the two winners of those square off in the World Series.

The baseball season is normally described as a marathon rather than a sprint due to the 162-game schedule. But with only 60 games on the MLB 2020 schedule, it is now much more of a sprint.

MLB 2020 season openers

AWAY HOME TIME (ET)
July 23
Yankees Nationals 7 p.m.*
Giants Dodgers 10 p.m.*
July 24
Braves Mets 4:10 p.m.*
Tigers Reds 6:10 p.m.
Blue Jays Rays 6:40 p.m.
Marlins Phillies 7:05 p.m.
Brewers Cubs 7:10 p.m.*
Royals Indians 7:10 p.m.
Orioles Red Sox 7:30 p.m.
Rockies Rangers 8:05 p.m.
Twins White Sox 8:10 p.m.
Pirates Cardinals 8:15 p.m.
Diamondbacks Padres 9:10 p.m.
Mariners Astros 9:10 p.m.
Angels Athletics 10:10 p.m

AP Source: Minor leaguers reach five-year labor deal with MLB

Associated PressMar 30, 2023, 12:17 AM EDT
Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch
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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.