Hundreds of Minor League Baseball Players Reportedly Released Amid COVID-19

Hundred of minor league baseball players were reportedly released Thursday, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. 

He added the number could top 1,000 in the coming week:

On Tuesday, Passan reported that the Oakland Athletics had informed minor league players they would not continue paying them a $400 weekly stipend after May. Robert Murray of The Score added that the Seattle Mariners let go of over 50 players in "extensive" cuts.

According to Patrick Mooney of The Athletic, the Chicago Cubs are among the teams making roster cuts. However, the Cubs have committed to paying all of their minor-league players—even those who are released—stipends through June.

Critics of such moves will note that the savings for team owners will pale in comparison to their net worth:

There is also the growing sentiment that MLB owners are using the COVID-19 pandemic as an excuse to push through changes they've long wanted:

Owners would argue that with the prospect of a shortened season or one canceled altogether—a growing possibility given the divide that exists between owners and players—they stand to lose significant revenue. 

But the optics of releasing players who are making just $400 per month—and most minor league players are paid extraordinarily low wages even when the games aren't on hiatus—aren't great for MLB ownership. Even with minimum salaries being slightly increased in 2021, the most a Triple-A player could make on that rate is $14,000 over five months (minor league players aren't paid out of season). 

And now, many players are out of a job.