MLB News: Owners Strongly Opposed to Increasing Pay for Younger Players

A CBA expert believes compensation for players still under team control remains the biggest obstacle to a new CBA.

Evan Drellich is a MLB expert who’s been on the MLB CBA beat since 2019. Drellich spoke with AM570’S David Vassegh on Dodger Talk this week to talk about the MLB-MLBPA negotiations.

Drellich explained that back in early December, the league and owners drew a firm line on three major points. Drellich characterized the owners' communication to players on those topics:

“We're not going to talk about revenue sharing (the amount of money going between the teams), we're are not going to talk about getting to free agency earlier and we aren’t going to talk about getting to arbitration earlier.”

Vassegh then asked Drellich what he thinks is the biggest hurdle for a new CBA between MLB and the MLBPA.

“I would be inclined to bet that the arbitration issue, getting younger players paid more, paid sooner, is the thing that’s probably going to be the hold up here. I can’t imagine getting players to free agency is the thing that’s going hold up this season. I just don’t see that.”

Based on Drellich’s highly-educated and opinion, significantly raising pay for players still under team control is going to be met with very strong resistance from MLB owners.

MLB and the MLBPA met this past Thursday and according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan was anything but sunshine and rainbows. Which was not a surprise.

Baseball labor update: There is no deal. There never was going to be one today. MLB made a proposal. The reaction among the players was not positive. Few on either side expected it to be. The question is how soon the MLBPA counters. Spring training starting on time is in peril.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 13, 2022

Spring training is inching closer. Most teams catcher and pitchers typically arrive to camp around Valentine’s Day. Nobody will be booking any flights if the MLB and MLBPA can’t come to terms.

Significantly increasing compensation for younger players is a no-fly zone with MLB owners.