As it seems to be the custom, MLB owners and Commissioner Manfred they are in a constant “tug of war” with the Major League Baseball Players Union (MLBPA), where each party tries to impose its conditions Heading to another season affected by Covid-19, with owners seeking to delay the start of the season by at least a month and reduce the number of games, and the MLBPA looking for the schedule to be played in a normal way.
However, it seems that the owners and Manfred have a powerful ally on their side, since according to information from Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic newspaper, members of the cabinet of the recently inaugurated president of the United States, Joe Biden, have spoken with Rob Manfred and the owners asking them to delay the start of the season for at least a month due to the Covid-19 that remains relentless in the country.
The Biden administration has turned its strategy in the fight against the virus 180 degrees compared to that of its predecessor Donald Trump, imposing federal measures on the use of face masks and travel restrictions, and with the MLB season on the horizon this could result in a disaster if it occurs without the correct protocols, as reported by The Athletic.
The MLBPA had already rejected the proposal by Manfred and the owners, and the union and its president, Tony Clark, are expected to hold a telephone meeting with the Biden administration without interference from MLB authorities, in an attempt to convince the union to desist in their efforts to get the season started on time.
