MLB to require housing for some minor leaguers in 2022

NEW YORK — Major League Baseball says its owners person agreed to statesman providing lodging to definite insignificant league players opening successful the 2022 season.

“In mid-September, the owners discussed the contented of subordinate lodging and unanimously agreed to statesman providing lodging to definite insignificant league players,” MLB said successful a connection to The Associated Press connected Sunday night. “We are successful the process of finalizing the details of that argumentation and expect it to beryllium announced and successful spot for the 2022 season.”

ESPN, citing anonymous sources, archetypal reported Sunday connected the owners’ decision, saying the league would necessitate large league teams to supply lodging either via stipends to afloat screen rent oregon by arranging the lodging themselves.

The league did not specify which players would beryllium covered by the caller policy.

The determination is expected to easiness the load connected players, immoderate of whom person incomes from teams that autumn beneath the national poorness enactment of $12,880 for individuals.

MLB raised minimum salaries crossed the minors for 2021, pushing Class A wage from $290 to $500 per week, Double-A from $350 to $600, and Triple-A from $502 to $700 implicit the astir five-month season. Players are lone paid in-season.

While teams mostly put for edifice accomodations for roadworthy trips, players person mostly been near to find their ain lodging for homestands. The level of assistance provided by teams varies wide — lower-level affiliates sometimes put big families for younger players, and immoderate organizations person offered lodging stipends to immoderate oregon each players. The Houston Astros are believed to person go the archetypal squad successful shot to supply furnished apartments to each players erstwhile they did truthful for the 2021 season.

But mostly, players are near to grip lodging connected their own, usually seeking short-term leases connected small announcement with a constricted budget. It’s not uncommon for teammates to overcrowd apartments and slumber connected aerial mattresses. One subordinate and his woman successful 2019 adjacent took the antithetic measurement of surviving successful a renovated schoolhouse bus.

“MLB is engaged successful a multi-year effort to modernize the insignificant league strategy and amended assistance players arsenic they prosecute their dreams of playing successful the large leagues,” MLB’s connection besides said. “In 2021, we accrued the salaries for insignificant league players by 38-72% depending connected level and importantly reduced question requirements during the season. In addition, hundreds of millions of dollars worthy of improvements to insignificant league ballparks astir the state are already underway, including important renovations to player-facing facilities similar locker rooms and grooming rooms.”

The connection came astir a period aft players successful the Mets and Phillies organizations staged an on-field protestation during the past play of the regular season, wearing teal wristbands to gully attraction to wage they said was insufficient.

The objection was organized successful portion by Advocates for Minor Leaguers, which besides handed retired pamphlets to fans with suggestions for however MLB could dainty insignificant leaguers better. In-season lodging was among the ideas, on with raising wages, paying players year-round and offering 3 meals per time during the season.

“This is simply a historical triumph for insignificant league shot players,” Advocates for Minor Leaguers enforcement manager Harry Marino said successful a statement. “When we started talking to players this play astir the difficulties they face, uncovering and paying for in-season lodging was astatine the apical of astir each player’s list. As a result, addressing that contented became our apical precedence successful this our archetypal play successful existence.”