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With the baseball season on hold, MLB has announced plans to help under-paid minor leaguers during the shutdown.
MLB announced on Tuesday that minor leaguers will be compensated during the season’s postponement.
“MLB is taking this additional step to continue assistance for Minor League players and their families during the unexpected postponement to the start of the season,” the league said in a statement. “All players will continue to receive medical benefits and may continue to use any balance they have in the College Scholarship Plan or Continuing Education Program.”
While MLB did not disclose how much minor leaguers will be paid, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that they will receive $400 a week. MLB said the compensation will last through the start of the season or until May 31, whichever comes first.
Exceptions to the new plan are “players who are signed to Major League contracts; players who are already receiving housing, food or other services from Clubs; and players on the Restricted, Voluntary Retired, Disqualified or Ineligible Lists,” according to MLB. Players on Dominican Summer League rosters will be “provide[d] support” from their respective clubs, as well.
The announcement comes five days after what was originally scheduled to be Opening Day for MLB, and nine days before the original start of the minor league season. So far, a major leaguer hasn’t tested positive for COVID-19, but two Yankees minor league players have. MLB previously announced that clubs would be contributing $30 million to help workers impacted by the lack of games.