Owners OK plan that could lead to July start

On Monday, Major League Baseball owners agreed to a proposal that would start the season in July. It is now up to the players if the proposal suits them.

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May 12, 2020 - 10:00 AM

Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred before the New York Yankees take on the Minnesota Twins in the American League Wild Card game at Yankee Stadium in New York on October 3, 2017. Photo by Howard Simmons/New York Daily News/TNS

NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball owners gave the go-ahead Monday to making a proposal to the players’ union that could lead to the coronavirus-delayed season starting around the Fourth of July weekend in ballparks without fans, a plan that envisioned expanding the designated hitter to the National League for 2020.

Spring training could start in early to mid-June, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because details of the plan were not announced.

MLB officials are slated to make a presentation to the union on Tuesday. An agreement with the players’ association is needed, and talks are expected to be difficult — especially over a proposal for a revenue split that would be unprecedented for baseball. Players withstood a 7 1/2-month strike in 1994-95 to fight off such a plan.

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