Press Releases

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Representatives Lori Trahan (D-MA) and David McKinley (R-WV) released this statement in response to Major League Baseball (MLB) Commissioner Rob Manfred’s comments regarding the status of ongoing MLB and Minor League Baseball’s (MiLB) Professional Baseball Agreement (PBA) negotiations.

“We were disappointed by Commissioner Manfred’s dismissive tone toward ongoing negotiations surrounding the future of Minor League Baseball. When we lead our bipartisan call with 104 of our colleagues expressing concern with the MLB’s plans to eliminate as many as 42 affiliated teams, we did so on behalf of communities that stand to lose out on the deal – not as a public relations ploy. Minor League teams provide an enormous cultural and economic benefit to the communities they call home. Their abandonment by Major League Baseball would devastate them, their bond purchasers, and other stakeholders affected by the potential loss of these teams. We believe it is appropriate that the MLB fully understands the real impact their plans could have on the communities we represent. Congress has long been a partner with the MLB in preserving and growing our national pastime, and we expect our concerns to be taken seriously as negotiations continue,” said Representatives Trahan and McKinley.

Earlier this week, Representatives Trahan and McKinley led a bipartisan effort with 104 of their colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives to urge the MLB to abandon its plan to eliminate 42 Minor League teams. Interest in this effort continues to grow. This follows recent reporting by the Boston Globe and others that the MLB’s proposal would disband short-season leagues like the New York-Penn League, eliminating 42 affiliated teams in total and would shrink the number of affiliated minor league teams by 25 percent. The full letter can be found HERE:

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