With the coronavirus pandemic now consuming the first two months of the 2020 MLB season, and no concrete plan in place for the resumption of games, the Oakland A’s began making cost-cutting moves on Tuesday. First came word that they would be furloughing many full-time employees, and then Jeff Passan of ESPN added a report that they would also stop paying their minor league players.
All MLB teams had previously committed to paying their minor leaguers a $400 weekly stipend through May 31, but with that deadline approaching in a few days, the A’s have elected not to continue those payments.