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An MLB regular season (AKA "championship season") must be at least 182 days but no more than 187 days (184 days in 2022) so as to accommodate more off days during the course of the season.
CoViD-19 EXCEPTION: The MLB regular season will be only 67 days in 2020, so MLB Service Time accrued in 2020 will be pro-rated (multiplied) based upon the ratio of 67 days to 186 days. (Each day accrued in 2020 will be worth approximately 2.78 days of MLB Service Time).
2020 MLB SERVICE TIME CONVERTER
(ACTUAL # OF DAYS = 2020 CoViD-19 # OF DAYS):
1 = 3
2 = 6
3 = 8
4 = 11
5 = 14
6 = 17
7 = 20
8 = 22
9 = 25
10 = 28
11 = 31
12 = 33
13 = 36
14 = 39
15 = 41
16 = 44
17 = 47
18 = 50
19 = 53
20 = 56
21 = 58
22 = 61
23 = 64
24 = 67
25 = 70
26 = 72
27 = 75
28 = 78
29 = 81
30 = 83
31 = 86
32 = 89
33 = 92
34 = 95
35 = 97
36 = 100
37 = 103
38 = 106
39 = 108
40 = 111
41 = 114
42 = 117
43 = 120
44 = 122
45 = 125
46 = 128
47 = 131
48 = 133
49 = 136
50 = 139
51 = 142
52 = 145
53 = 147
54 = 150
55 = 153
56 = 156
57 = 158
58 = 161
59 = 164
60 = 167
61 = 170
62 = 172
63 = 175
64 = 178
65 = 181
66 = 183
67 = 186
1. A player cannot get credit for more than 172 days of MLB Service Time in any one MLB championship season (MLB regular season).
2. MLB Service Time is counted beginning on MLB Opening Day up through the last day of the MLB regular season (including any day a make-up game for a postponed game and/or a tie-breaker game is scheduled after the originally-scheduled conclusion of the MLB regular season).
3. MLB Service Time can only be accrued during the MLB championship season (MLB regular season). MLB Service Time cannot be accrued during the MLB post-season (Wild Card game, LDS, LCS, and World Series).
4. If an MLB regular season game or games are scheduled during Spring Training (prior to MLB Opening Day), only players on the MLB Active List, MLB Injured List, or other MLB inactive list of the clubs participating in the games(s) accrue MLB Service Time. This would apply to any MLB regular season game(s) known as "international openers" that may be scheduled in Australia, Japan, Mexico, etc, during Spring Training and prior to MLB Opening Day. Otherwise, MLB Service Time cannot be accrued during Spring Training (prior to MLB Opening Day).
5. A player on an MLB Reserve List accrues a day of MLB Service Time for each day of the MLB regular season spent on an MLB Active List or on an MLB 7-day, 10-day, 15-day, or 60-day Injured List (including days spent on a Minor League Injury Rehabilitation assignment), Paternity Leave List, Bereavement/Family Medical Emergency List, Suspended List, or Military List, or on the Restricted List as the result of a suspension for violation of the MLB-MLBPA JDPTP or a suspension or leave of absence related to a violation or possible violation of the MLB-MLBPA JDV policy.
EXCEPTION: Beginning in December 2016, a player suspended as the result of a violation of the MLB-MLBPA JDPTP will - NOT - receive credit for MLB Service Time while on the Restricted List unless it's the player's first or second positive test and the length of the suspension is subsequently reduced by at least 20 games by an arbitrator as the result of mitigating circumstances.
6. A player does not accrue MLB Service Time for days spent on the Disqualified List, Ineligible List, or Voluntary Retired List, or for days spent on the Restricted List for any reason other than a Prohibited Substance or Domestic Violence suspension.
7. A player traded during the MLB regular season continues to accrue MLB Service Time after being traded but before reporting to his new club.
8. A player who is Designated for Assignment (DFA) accrues MLB Service Time for the entire period of time he is Designated for Assignment during the MLB regular season, but if the player is Designated for Assignment prior to the start of the MLB regular season and the DFA period extends into the MLB regular season, the player does not accrue MLB Service Time while he is Designated for Assignment.
9. If a player spends at least 20 days on Optional Assignment to the minors in a given MLB regular season, the player does not accrue MLB Service Time for the days spent on Optional Assignment.
NOTE: Days spent on Optional Assignment during Spring Training (prior to MLB Opening Day) do not count toward the 20 days.
10. If a player is optioned to the minors, the player is not credited with a day of MLB Service Time for the day the player is optioned to the minors unless the player is optioned during or after the conclusion of an MLB regular season game played by his club that day. If a player is recalled from a minor league Optional Assignment, the player receives credit for a day of MLB Service Time beginning with the day the player is recalled.
11. If a player is on an MLB Active List and/or MLB inactive list(s) as of June 1st and remains on an MLB Active List and/or MLB inactive list(s) continuously up until being optioned, and then is optioned to the minors anytime during the period of time beginning on September 1st and extending through to the last day of the MLB regular season, the player accrues MLB Service Time while on Optional Assignment even if the player spends 20 or more days on Optional Assignment, if without the MLB Service Time accrued in September he would not be eligible for salary arbitration or to be an Article XX-B free-agent.
12. If a player is optioned to the minors during the period of time beginning on the Friday after Labor Day extending through the conclusion of the MLB regular season, the player accrues MLB Service Time while on Optional Assignment.
NOTE: If a player is optioned to his club's Spring Training Complex because all of his club's minor league affiliates have concluded their regular seasons and post-seasons, the player will accrue MLB Service Time while on Optional Assignment.
13. If a player is optioned to the minors prior to accruing MLB Service Time that season (for example, if the player is optioned to the minors prior to MLB Opening Day) and then is released or sent outright to the minors prior to spending at least 20 days on Optional Assignment and then is not added to an MLB Active List for the balance of that MLB regular season, the time spent on Optional Assignment prior to being released or outrighted does - NOT - count as MLB Service Time.
14. Beginning in 2022, a player who finishes in 1st or 2nd place in BBWAA Rookie of the Year voting will automatically receive a full year of MLB Service Time for that season.