As baseball fans fret about the season starting late with the players and owners embroiled in a collective bargaining dispute, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred expressed optimism the season will start on time.
Speaking with reporters Thursday, Manfred was asked about the status of Spring Training.
“Look, the status of Spring Training is no change,” Manfred said. “We’re gonna have a conversation with the MLBPA with the calendar … Until we see how this session on Saturday goes, it’s no change.”
As Manfred alluded, MLB plans to make a new proposal to players on Saturday.
Spring Training camps have been slated to open on Feb. 16, which does not give the players and owners a lot of time to make a deal for it to actually start on time.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred is optimistic baseball season starts on time. Getty Images“I am an optimist, and I believe we will have an agreement in time to play our regular schedule,” Manfred said, when asked if he believes the regular season would start on March 31 as scheduled.
“If I hadn’t given consideration to what it would mean to miss games, I wouldn’t be doing my job,” Manfred said. “Obviously I pay attention to that. I see missing games as a disastrous outcome for this industry. We’re committed to make an agreement in an effort to avoid that.”
