Seattle Mariners players could take big money hit from shortened season

  |  
May 7, 2020
Seattle Mariners
Kyle Seager, Seattle Mariners.

There is big money at stake when MLB returns in 2020. Three Seattle Mariners stand to lose hundreds of thousands of dollars in a shortened season.

The environment will be drastically different when Major League Baseball returns from its self-imposed coronavirus break. Games could happen with a limited amount of fans or no fans at all. Add to the mix a shortened season, along with a depressed economy. It’s a recipe guaranteed to put a dent in the wallet of anyone associated with the MLB. Several Seattle Mariners will feel the pinch more than others.

All 32 teams will face almost unprecedented losses, but what about the players? A recent report from the Associated Press says that Mike Trout and Gerrit Cole will lose $222,222 per game, tops in the league.

We already know that teams face unprecedented losses. How about the players? Three Seattle Mariners account for 53.6 percent of the team’s payroll. Combined, those players could lose a combined $301,235 per game. It’s no secret the Seattle Mariners don’t have one of the top payrolls in the game. According to Sportrac, they come in at an estimated $91.7M for their 40-man roster. That’s about 70 percent of the MLB average payroll, which is $130.9M. Cutting the schedule down from 162 games could drastically affect the money players take home in 2020 compared to their contract salary.

Sticking Points

Any return to action by MLB will happen as a partnership with the Major League Baseball Players Association. Many issues need to be addressed aside from how they intend to protect all involved from COVID-19. Among them are:

  • How many games can be played by each team in a reasonable amount of time? It’s hard to imagine playing the World Series at Thanksgiving.
  • When will the games begin, and how much preparation time will be available before they start?
  • Where will these games be played (for example, it’s unlikely T-Mobile Park opens in June)?
  • How many players will be on each roster? The season will be condensed, and it’s unlikely minor league ball will happen. There will be no calling a player up from the minors in case of injury.

The most significant sticking point between owners and the union as the sides try to make a 2020 season happen will be player salaries. A shortened schedule could mean decreased pay. I don’t know standard baseball contract clauses or the fine print of the current labor agreement, but buried in there someplace has to be the 162-game schedule.

Good luck trying to get the owners to pay full salaries for what will likely be no-fan, shortened season. For his part, MLBPA Executive Director Tony Clark and the union reps have to know that the economic climate has dramatically changed. They will have to give up something to make a 2020 season possible, which will likely be pay. For a trio of Seattle Mariners, that equals big money on a per-game basis, according to a recent report by The Associated Press.

Feeling the loss, the hardest

Per the AP, third baseman, Kyle Seager, is one of 88 MLB players who will lose over $100K per game at $120,370 a pop. Both Yusei Kikuchi, $95,679, and Dee Gordon $85,185 are in the next tier of 100 Major Leaguers, who will lose over $75,000 with every game missed. For reference, Dan Vogelbach will make $583,500 for the entire season. So there is an incentive for the players to get back on the field.

The more days missed, the more it costs them. No one is crying poor just yet, but the issue won’t go away either.

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