Jeff Passan at ESPN:

The Major League Baseball Players Association on Thursday proposed a 70-game regular-season schedule, a plan immediately rejected by MLB commissioner Rob Manfred.

“This needs to be over,” commissioner Rob Manfred said Thursday. “Until I speak with owners, I can’t give you a firm deadline.”

Surprise!

The MLBPA wanted full prorated pay, expanded playoffs, and a universal designated hitter, among other things.

The owners want 60 games, which makes me wonder why they can’t just agree on 65 and call it a day.

All of this nonsense comes after Jon Heyman jumped the gun earlier in the week, reporting that MLB and the Players Association had agreed on the framework for a return to play following a four-hour meeting between Manfred and Tony Clark on Tuesday. MLB has now made four different proposals to the players, all of which have been rejected and countered.

Cue the Benny Hill theme music: