NEW YORK (AP) — headed to early labor negotiations that could lead to significant economic changes in the collective bargaining agreement and possibly a new deal past the current expiration of December 2021.Management backed off its desire for a pitch clock this year in a proposal to the players’ association on Tuesday http://www.metsfanproshop.com/authentic-tim-tebow-jersey , putting off most on-field changes to 2020 at the earliest. The union quickly made a counteroffer Wednesday, and the biggest alterations still being discussed for this year are a single trade deadline, most likely on July 31, and lowering the number of mound visits without a pitching change from six to five.While players have proposed major initiatives that impact economics, such as expanding the designated hitter to the National League and adding provisions that make rebuilding rosters with young players less attractive, management has been focused on on-field issues thus far. Management told the union it would be willing to discuss larger economic issues as part of talks that could lead to a longer labor contract.Details were disclosed to The Associated Press by people familiar with the negotiations who spoke on condition of anonymity because talks were ongoing. Many aspects of management’s latest proposal were first reported by ESPN.Among the items put off until 2020 at the earliest are several where an agreement could be reached soon:— a three-batter minimum for pitchers.— increasing active rosters from 25 to 26, including a maximum of 13 pitchers, and dropping them from 40 to 28, including a maximum 14 pitchers, from Sept.1 through the end of the regular season.— increasing the minimum regular injured list and option recall period for pitchers from 10 days to 15.— a new rule that position players could pitch only from the ninth inning on, or from the sixth inning on when their team trails by seven runs or more.The sides remain in discussion over starting extra innings of the All-Star Game and of spring training games with a runner on second base and ending spring training games after 10 innings. They also are discussing experimenting with shorter between-inning breaks combined with televising the start of innings on split-screens alongside commercials.A single trade deadline would replace the current rules, which have a July 31 deadline for trades without waivers and an Aug. 31 deadline to acquire players who would be eligible for that team’s postseason rosters.While unilaterally making the decision to experiment with a 20-second pitch clock during spring training this year, management has offered not to pursue a pitch clock in the regular season through 2021. Management has the right to implement a clock in games that count, but baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred has said he is reluctant to take that step without players’ agreement.Baseball has had 12 collective bargaining agreements starting with the first in 1968 and has never held mid-agreement talks that led to an extension or new deal. The only mid-agreement extension was reached in the settlement of the 1981 midseason streak, in which management gave players credit for major league service during the 50-day walkout in exchange for extending the deal by one year through December 1984.The NFL and NBA have reached new deals in mid-agreement Devin Mesoraco Jersey , motivated by uncapped final years in the football contract and opt-out provisions in the basketball contract.After experiencing eight work stoppages from 1972-95, baseball has enjoyed a quarter-century of labor peace. But players have become angry because of two straight slow free-agent markets that has seen many deals reached on the eve of spring training or with workouts already underway. St. Louis pitcher Adam Wainwright has talked about the possibility of a strike.Union head Tony Clark and players have accused rebuilding teams of tanking, a charge management denies. Manfred maintains clubs have the right to rebuild with youth as they please.The 2012-16 labor contract imposed limits on bonuses for amateurs residing in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico, and the 2017-21 deal capped spending on international amateurs. In addition, the current deal raised the top luxury tax rate for repeat offenders from 50 percent to 95 percent, which has impacted behavior among the highest-spending teams.Because of management’s success under the current deal, some team owners may be reluctant for mid-agreement negotiations. However, overall attendance has dropped in three straight seasons, the average last year fell below 30,000 for the first time since 2003 and six ballparks set record lows for a season. MLB attributed the drop largely to bad weather last spring. NEW YORK (AP) — Many players use the All-Star break as a time to rest. Yankees starter Domingo Germán spent most of his time preparing for his next start.Germán cruised through six innings of three-hit ball, Edwin Encarnación hit a three-run double and the New York Yankees kicked off the second half with a 4-0 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night.“Although we had the break I knew I was pitching the first game of the second half and I kept training. I kept my routine going,” Germán said through a translator. “We have a complex down in the Dominican Republic. … I just went down there and explained what kind of routine I was working on, what kind of routine I like to do in between starts, and that’s what we did.”Article continues below ...New York has won 17 of 21 and boasts the American League’s best record at 58-31.Germán (11-2) threw just 78 pitches http://www.metsfanproshop.com/authentic-tim-tebow-jersey , 54 for strikes, and retired 15 in a row following Eric Sogard’s leadoff hit. The team leader in wins, he limited Toronto to three singles and did not walk a batter.“You always want to be economical out there,” Germán said.Pitching on eight days’ rest, the slender right-hander featured a biting curveball that led to six of his seven strikeouts, all swinging. He threw 33 curves in all, generating 13 swings and misses.“He went back to the Dominican. He threw a side when he was back there,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “He’s got a really good look in his eye about what he expects to do out there. He’s pitching with a lot of confidence, and a great way to kick off this half for us.”Playing in front of the largest crowd at Yankee Stadium this season, both starters traded zeroes until the bottom of the fifth, when Brett Gardner tripled against Aaron Sanchez (3-13) to lead off the inning. All-Star DJ LeMahieu’s groundout scored the speedy veteran to break the tie.“Just trying to get to third with no outs and my chances of scoring right there are pretty good with those guys coming up behind me,” Gardner said. “So it’s nice to get things going.”New York then loaded the bases on two hits and a hit batter before Encarnación lined a hard-hit double off the visiting bullpen wall, plating three for a 4-0 lead.The former Blue Jays slugger has struggled since joining the Yankees in a mid-June trade with Seattle, batting just .145 in 17 games.“It’s just all about timing. Get my timing right and I’m going to be all right,” Encarnación said. “I don’t worry too much. I know what I can do.”Tommy Kahnle and Chad Green combined for three scoreless innings in relief.Sanchez allowed four runs on seven hits Pedro Martinez Jersey , two walks and a hit batter in five innings. He leads the majors in losses and has dropped nine straight starts, the longest single-season streak since Jose Contreras also lost nine consecutive in 2007.Gardner was 2 for 4 and also threw out Vladimir Guerrero Jr. trying to stretch a double to left in the seventh.“He was aggressive,” Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said of Guerrero’s baserunning blunder. “I appreciate him going all out to make it to second, but it wasn’t the best decision in this game down four.”BALL FOURA moment of silence was held before the game for former Yankees right-hander Jim Bouton, who died Wednesday at the age of 80.HOW DO YA LIKE THAT?Longtime Yankees radio play-by-play man John Sterling returned to the airwaves Friday after taking time off. He called 5,060 consecutive regular season and postseason games for New York before taking a break on July 4, the broadcaster’s 81st birthday.CLIPPED WINGSThe Blue Jays did not record an extra-base hit or a walk for the first time since May 9, 2017, against Cleveland.TRAINER’S ROOMBlue Jays: RHP Marcus Stroman (left pectoral cramp) threw a bullpen session before the game and is slated to start Sunday’s series finale. … LHP Ryan Borucki (left elbow soreness) “felt like he wanted another start” for Triple-A Buffalo before returning from his rehab assignment, according to Montoyo. Borucki started at Pawtucket Thursday and will remain with the Bisons for at least one more outing.Yankees: 1B Luke Voit (abdominal strain) is expected to return Saturday. To make room, INF Breyvic Valera was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre following the game. … RHP Dellin Betances (right shoulder impingement) is scheduled to begin a throwing program Monday. … OF Giancarlo Stanton (sprained right knee) is doing strengthening exercises but has yet to resume baseball activities.UP NEXT:Blue Jays: LHP Clayton Richard (1-5, 6.23 ERA) is winless in three career starts against New York.Yankees: LHP J.A. Happ (7-4, 5.02 ERA) faces his old club for the second time this year. The 36-year-old was 59-41 with a 3.88 ERA in 135 appearances (127 starts) over two stints with Toronto, including a 20-win season in 2016.