The New York Mets join the rest of MLB in pledging to pay their employees through the pandemic. However, it comes with a twist.
Ken Rosenthal of MLB Network reported Monday morning that the New York Mets have pledged to pay their employees’ salaries for the remainder of the 2020 season. However, those same employees will be forced to take a pay cut starting on June 1.
The #Mets intend to pay employees for remainder of originally scheduled season, but with pay cuts that will take effect 6/1 and remain regardless of whether games resume, sources tell @TimBritton and @EvanDrellich. Plan similar to what #Padres are doing. https://t.co/jhw5ZpGzC8
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) April 27, 2020
The pay cuts will remain in effect until the end of the season, even if baseball does come back at some point. The only other team that’s instituting pay cuts on this scale is the San Diego Padres.
This shouldn’t come as a surprise to Mets fans. The Wilpons have been running the team as if they’re in a small market for year. Why should that change now?
This is likely a necessary move for the Mets from a financial standpoint. The team was already bleeding a reported $50 million a year at least during regular baseball seasons. Thing have only deteriorated with the pandemic delaying the start of the season.
Remember, the Wilpons are still searching for a potential buyer to come in and take over the franchise. Former New York Yankees MVP Alex Rodriguez is trying to pool together investors in an attempt to purchase the team.
The future of the Mets is murky at best. It doesn’t seem like the Wilpons will be the owners past the 2020 season, but it also doesn’t seem like their value will be met. They’ve been put in an impossible situation by the pandemic.
