MLB Proposes 82-Game Season Beginning in Early July On May 11, Major League Baseball formalized its plan to play an 82-game season, the shortest season since the late 1870s.
Games would be hosted without fans and involve teams only playing against divisional rivals and teams in the corresponding geographic division to minimize travel.
The plan would also include the implementation of the designated hitter in order to lower injury risk to pitchers since teams would be playing a significant number of interleague games.
In an increase from the usual 26 active players, teams would also expand their rosters to up to 50 players with at least 30 available each game.
In the postseason, two additional wild cards would be added to each league and the playing field expanded from 10 teams to 14.
In terms of salary, the MLB’s plan calls for teams to split revenues with athletes 50-50.
That earned amount is expected to be significantly smaller.
The season will likely face a lack of revenue from tickets, parking and concessions.
In order to become a reality, the proposed season must be approved by the players’ union and testing protocols must be established.
