Emily Waldon and Brittany Ghiroli of The Athletic report that the Washington Nationals have committed to paying their minor leaguers $400/week stipends through September 7, which is when the minor league season would’ve ended.
This is quite a commitment compared to the Nats’ earlier tack of cheaping out. As you’ll recall, in late May the Nationals announced they would cut the weekly stipend paid to their minor leaguers from $400 to $300 through the end of June. A backlash ensured and, within 24 hours, the Nats relented, restoring the $400/week payments through June. Now those payments will last for as long as the club would’ve been paying minor leaguers anyway.
A number of other teams have already committed to paying their minor leaguers through September, including the Giants, Orioles, Athletics, and Reds. The Athletics, like the Nationals, are doing so because of public pressure, as they had initially decided to end all payments entirely at the end of May.
Public pressure works, folks.
