The last thing Major League Baseball needs is a labor dispute during a global pandemic.

We’re halfway there, with players and owners currently at odds over a league proposal to resume play with salary reductions that go beyond a prorated number that was already agreed upon back in March. Just this week, agent Scott Boras said his clients will not accept anything less than that.

Individual players will speak for themselves, and one of the first opinions to go public was that of Rays pitcher Blake Snell, who said this on Twitch (via ESPN):

“Y’all gotta understand, man, for me to go — for me to take a pay cut is not happening, because the risk is through the roof,” Snell said while answering questions on his Twitch channel. “It’s a shorter season, less pay.

“No, I gotta get my money. I’m not playing unless I get mine, OK? And that’s just the way it is for me. Like, I’m sorry you guys think differently, but the risk is way the hell higher and the amount of money I’m making is way lower. Why would I think about doing that?”

Snell is two years into a $50,000,000 dollar contract and is set to make seven million this year. Even accepting a pay cut beyond the prorated number would be a nice pay day for him, but it’s still a huge concession per professional athlete standards.

Of course, that’s not relatable for the typical American, who earns a fraction of Snell’s contract. That’s why you’re seeing fans gripe about the “greed” of these guys who don’t want to play but would still be bringing home a few million dollars if they did.

On a macro level, it’s less about the money and risk and more of a long term trust issue. MLB doesn’t have a stellar history of labor relations and when you have this type of problem pop up during a global pandemic, it just doesn’t bode well for the future. Baseball is already on unsteady ground when it comes to fan interest, especially with younger people. Hopefully they figure this out, because right now the proverbial gun is pointed at the foot and the finger is on the trigger.