MLB and MLBPA meet in Florida

Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association (MLBPA) met for several hours Monday in Jupiter, Florida, as both sides worked to try to strike a new collective agreement.

The two met for just over an hour and then parted ways to talk to each other before meeting again later.

MLB has increased its pre-arbitration fund offer from $5 million to $20 million, an amount that will be distributed to the top 30 players prior to arbitration in salary. The MLBPA’s previous proposal was to create a $115 million fund, to be distributed to a pool of 150 players.

The league also expanded its offer of the NBA-style amateur lottery from the top three picks to four. The MLBPA seeks a lottery for the first eight selections. For comparison purposes, the NBA Lottery is responsible for making the first four picks in a general draft, while the NHL Lottery distributes the first two picks.

“It was such a good thing to get together in that room,” said the MLB source. “It was a very broad and fruitful conversation that covered many topics. We look forward to meeting again tomorrow (Tuesday) in an effort to move the negotiations forward and work towards the goal of an agreement.”

According to a source, MLB also withdrew its proposal that asked the MLBPA to give the league the ability to reduce the number of players on minor league rosters, as well as its proposal to limit the number of times a player can be sent to minors at a time. season. The MLBPA has proposed a limit of four options per player, per season.

The source added that the league wants to reach an agreement and that “we will try to do everything in our power to negotiate on the table with our partners in the players’ union, not through the media.”

The two sides are scheduled to meet again on Tuesday.

The MLB has set February 28 as the last possible day to reach an agreement that would allow the regular season openers to be held on March 31.

The meeting was attended by Rockies CEO Dick Monfort, who chairs the team owners’ labor policy committee, and Padres Vice President Ron Fowler – the committee’s newest member.

Monday’s meeting was attended by players Max Scherzer, Francisco Lindor, Paul Goldschmidt, Jameson Tellon, Sonny Gray, Wyatt Merrifield, Taylor Rogers, Brent Sutter and Brandon Nemo.