MLB Commits to Paying Employees Through at Least May 31 Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

Major League Baseball committed to paying league employees through at least May 31 on Tuesday during the league's suspension due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a memo that he and other senior staff will reduce their pay by an average of 35 percent in 2020 as well.

Per Passan, Manfred also said that MLB will continue to make "scheduled financial distributions" to teams in April and May to "assist the clubs in paying the salary advances that are being made to players." That number will reportedly total $170 million through May.

The 2020 MLB regular season was supposed to begin March 26, but after the NBA and NHL suspended their seasons, Major League Baseball ceased operations during spring training.

As of now, the season has yet to begin, and there is little doubt that the schedule will be shortened from the usual 162 games if the 2020 season does commence at some point.

Several options have reportedly been discussed regarding how MLB will hold a season if and when it receives clearance to begin playing games, including a somewhat radical proposal that came to light last week.

According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, MLB proposed a realignment of leagues and divisions for one season to a Grapefruit League in Florida and a Cactus League in Arizona.

Teams would play their games in empty spring training ballparks without fans in Florida and Arizona, plus a select few regular MLB parks in the Tampa Bay Rays' Tropicana Field, the Miami Marlins' Marlins Park and the Arizona Diamondbacks' Chase Field.

Using that blueprint, teams that are normally in different leagues could be in the same division in an effort to keep players, coaches and team staff as quarantined as possible and prevent them from traveling much during the season.

The same amount of playoff teams would likely be in place, and the World Series could be played in a neutral domed stadium in November or perhaps even December.

While that would be far from ideal, any scenario that leads to a season being played and a champion being crowned has to be considered a positive at this point.

There is a great deal of uncertainty in that regard, but MLB employees can at least rest assured they will be compensated through May even if the season doesn't begin by then.