MLB PLAYERS MAKE COUNTER PROPOSAL

According to ESPN, the Major League Baseball Players Association delivered a return-to-play proposal to MLB on Sunday that includes a 114-game season, deferred salaries in the event of a canceled postseason and the option for all players to opt out of a potential 2020 season due to coronavirus concerns.

The proposal, which was the first from the union and came on the heels of an MLB plan that was loudly rejected by the players, comes as baseball tries to become the first major American professional sport to return.

Although the players expect the league to reject it, they hope it will serve as a bridge to a potential deal this week.

Other parts of the players' proposal, sources said, include:

• Expanded playoffs for two years; MLB's proposal suggests one year of a postseason that goes from 10 teams to 14.
• A salary advance of $100 million to split among players during the so-called "spring training 2.0" that leads up to the regular season.
• Additional commitment to players wearing microphones on the field and other broadcast enhancements.
• An offer to hold events such as an offseason All-Star Game or Home Run Derby to generate additional revenue.