Major League Baseball presented an economic proposal to the players' union on Tuesday that was immediately met with negativity.

According to sources, the proposal called for a significant cut in salaries that would affect all players and particularly baseball's highest paid stars.

The long-awaited plan, which kicked off negotiations about a return to baseball, proposed a marginal salary structure in which the lowest-paid players would receive close to a full share of their prorated salary and the game's stars receive far less than expected.

The plan also included an 82-game schedule that would begin in early July after a 21-day spring training. Teams would play three exhibition games in the final week before starting a regular season that would finish Sept. 27.

The MLB Players Association said in a statement: "The proposal involves massive additional pay cuts and the union is extremely disappointed. We're also far apart on health & safety protocols."