Locked out MLB players to respond Thursday to clubs' plan

NEW YORK (AP) — Negotiations aimed at ending Major League Baseball’s lockout will resume Thursday.

The players’ association notified management Wednesday that it is ready to respond to the offer MLB made last weekend, proposals that were received coolly by the union.

Baseball’s ninth work stoppage, its first since 1995, enters its 78th day Thursday, one day after spring training workouts had been scheduled to start.

There is little chance exhibition games will start as scheduled on Feb. 26, and the work stoppage soon will threaten opening day on March 31. Given the need for 21-28 days of training and additional time to report and go through COVID-19 protocols, an agreement by the end of February or early March is needed for an on-time start.

Clubs gave the union 16 documents totaling 130 pages, encompassing all key areas in a mix of new offers and previous proposals. The one-hour session was just the fifth on core economics since the lockout began.

Players and owners remain far apart on luxury tax thresholds and rate. They have major differences on revenue-sharing and how to address players’ allegations of service time manipulation.

MLB said it remains opposed to any increase in salary arbitration eligibility or reduction in revenue sharing.

MLB has proposed the luxury-tax thresholds rise from $210 million last year to $214 million for 2022 and 2023, then increase to $216 million in 2024, $218 million in 2025 and $222 million in 2026.

Players have proposed a $245 million luxury-tax threshold for this year, which would rise to $273 million in 2026.

MLB also has proposed increasing the tax rate from 20% to 50% for a team exceeding the initial threshold, from 32% to 75% for the second threshold and from 62.5% to 100% for