Major League Baseball and its players' association are scheduled to start a grievance hearing next Monday over the union's claim the 2020 pandemic-affected season was too short, according to a report.

If the union prevails, MLB might on the hook for hundreds of millions of dollars in damages.

Martin F. Scheinman, who took over as baseball's impartial arbitrator after the clubs fired Mark L. Irvings, will hear the case over the coronavirus-impacted 2020 season.

The hearing takes place as the sides are negotiating to replace the labor contract that expires Dec. 1. The sides are far apart in their central proposals thus far, and a lockout starting in December or on the eve of spring training in February appears possible.