The Seattle Mariners entered play on Wednesday at 27-29 and 0.5 games back of first place in the American League West, and even though the start of the season has been frustrating, the M's still have goals of making a deep playoff run.

As intense and fun as this season could still be, it's all somewhat overshadowed by what is coming in the offseason: Labor talks, labor stress, and a possible work stoppage.

The collective bargaining agreement runs out of the end of November and unless a new CBA is agreed to before then, we will end up in a lockout, potentially for months. A lockout could lead to a loss in games played in 2027 should things get really ugly between the players and owners. 

In advance of the CBA running out, the two sides have begun talking, and like all negotiations, it will be a process.

Jeff Passan of ESPN shared Wednesday the first round of things that the MLB Players Association is asking for. We'll cover some of the highlights and what it could mean for the Mariners below:

The players have proposed that the league minimum increase from $780,000 to $1.5 million. 

1) Obviously, the players will like this because every player in the league is now making more money earlier in their career. Ten current members of the Mariners make less than $1.5 million this season.

2) More on the Mariners, who like to use homegrown and developed players: It would mean a significant increase in pay and payroll for each of those 10 players. For example, Dom Canzone and Cole Young would make nearly double what they are making this year. 

3) As a result, it will no longer be quite as advantageous for owners and front office people to just utilize younger players as a way to save cost. Perhaps this will mean that front offices will spend on established veterans rather than simply trying to utilize minor league call-ups. Veterans have been squeezed out of free agency over the last few years. Perhaps this is a way to combat this.

The players are calling for any team who doesn't spend $150 million to be penalized with a tax.

As noted by Spotrac, there are 13 teams this season who do not have a payroll exceeding $150 million. The Mariners are not one of them, meaning they wouldn't be subjected to fines, but they would be forced to spend more, either through the minimum salary and arbitration increases, or through free agency to keep up with these other teams who now need to spend more to get in compliance.

The players are calling for players who are 30 years of age or more to hit free agency after five years instead of six. Why? Older players tend to do worse in free agency, so by getting to free agency earlier, they'll have a chance to do better.

Secondly, it will motivate teams to call up players earlier in their careers. If they are called up at 24, the team will get another year of team control, meaning that crucial sixth year. That sixth year would be good for the team, but it will also mean a player is getting paid earlier, and with the new minimum salary increase and arbitration increases, that means a player is making real money earlier. 

Similar to the league minimum increase, this is designed to get younger players paid earlier. This means that guys like Bryan Woo and Bryce Miller, who are making less than $3 million this season, would both make at least $3 million, raising the team's payroll and increasing the overall earnings for players.

Like all negotiations, this is going to be a big process. The players have clearly shot high for some revolutionary changes that increase their wealth and the timing of that wealth.

The owners will say no, or will counter, and the gloves will be off.

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