Shorter season pitched as salary cap battle looms

MLB proposed cutting its regular season to 154 games from 162 starting in 2029 during bargaining on Thursday, a plan that the MLB Players’ Association said was tied to a salary cap it firmly opposes.

The proposal, which comes as the league and the union negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement before the current one expires in December, would also expand the Division Series of the playoffs to a best-of-seven from a best-of-five affair.

Shortening the regular season would create a standard weekly off day benefiting player health, the MLB said.

Under its proposal, the higher-seeded clubs in the Wild Card and Division Series would select their opponents beginning in 2027.

The players’ association said it is reviewing the proposed changes.

“Players will weigh in on these proposals and we will respond at the bargaining table,” it said in a statement. “Unfortunately, the league once again made clear that all of its proposals are contingent on players’ agreement to a salary cap, a system that guts player rights and compensation, as well as its other anti-player proposals.”

Other North American leagues have lengthened their schedules in the past few years.

The NHL went to 84 games from 82 this season, and the NFL, which added a 17th game in 2021, wants an 18th.

The NFL players’ union has pushed back.

However, the bigger fight is expected to be over a salary cap, which could lead to a lockout or strike.

In their first proposal in May, MLB owners asked for a hard cap of US$245.3 million, including player benefits, and a payroll floor of US$171.2 million, starting in 2027.

The MLB union has long opposed any form of salary cap.

The collective bargaining agreement expires on Dec. 1.

The last time owners pushed for a cap, players went on strike in 1994.

The 232-day stoppage forced the cancelation of that year’s MLB World Series.