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Report: Players cut meeting short after Clark gets new letter from Manfred

Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox / Getty Images Sport / Getty

The MLBPA cut a union meeting short after executive director Tony Clark received a letter from Rob Manfred, sources told The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and Jayson Stark.

In his letter, Manfred offered to cancel expanded playoffs and a universal designated hitter for 2021 if a full season isn't played in 2020, sources told Jeff Passan of ESPN.

Major leaguers are reportedly concerned about giving up the leverage of expanded playoffs for nothing.

The proposed 2021 olive branch may be the last chance for the league and players' union to strike a deal, according to Passan, who adds that the players had planned on voting Sunday about whether to accept the league's 60-game proposal or allow Manfred to impose a schedule of his desired length.

"I really believe we are fighting over an impossibility on games," Manfred wrote in his letter, according to Rosenthal.

There was no vote on Sunday due to the recent COVID-19 outbreak in some states potentially changing the dynamics of MLB's offer, reports Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY Sports. Over the past week, 40 MLB players and staff members tested positive, sources told Nightengale.

A modified proposal may be officially submitted Monday.

The league reportedly closed all spring training facilities for cleaning after several positive tests on Friday.

MLB has proposed a 60-game season beginning in July. Manfred told the union that because some teams need to relocate their camps from Florida due to the state's spike of COVID-19 cases, the earliest players could report to spring training would be on June 29, according to Rosenthal.

There's hope the 2020 season could start around July 24-27 if the league's proposal is accepted, Nightengale adds.

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