Peter Bayer didn’t expect his Tweet to get much attention.

In the hours following the suspension of the baseball season, the A’s minor league pitcher downloaded the DoorDash app and ventured into the Phoenix streets to deliver food.

He made $62 in three hours, and he posted about it on his Twitter account. Some of his teammates, inspired by Bayer’s quick thinking, signed up to drive for Uber and deliver Postmates. Pandemic or not, most minor league players need to supplement their income.

They got some relief Thursday when the MLB announced it would pay minor league players a lump sum for the remainder of spring training.

Bayer’s reaction?

“The short answer is I don’t believe I will have to drive DoorDash anymore,” he said.

Because of the low pay he earns playing minor league ball, Bayer, 26, has grown accustomed to juggling jobs. Bayer says he made $325 after taxes per week playing for the Class A Stockton Ports. The league’s temporary compensation plan should grant him $400 a week until April 9, minor league baseball’s original opening day date.

Taking up odd jobs is not only customary, but a necessity. Pre-taxed minor league salaries range from $400 per week in rookie short-season A leagues to $502 per week for players on triple-A teams. Minor leaguers don’t get paid during the offseason. For context, the minimum salary for a a major league player is $563,500.

The A’s did not return requests for comment on Bayer’s decision to take a high-risk job. Bayer didn’t consider the coronavirus risk much.

“I don’t think that (the A’s) would really have an issue with it,” Bayer said.

A Tweet detailing his adventure went viral.

Who knows what’s going to happen with the MILB/pay so I decided to start driving with Door Dash tonight. $62 in 3 hours… not too bad. 🤷‍♂️ — Peter Bayer (@PeterBayer47) March 13, 2020

“I mean I hate to bring it up this way, but I think like kind of any minor league player that didn’t really receive a signing bonus is probably working an offseason job,” Bayer said.

Before Thursday’s notice, minor league baseball players stirred with frustration online. A petition spread across the social media community. Players shouted for pay, for some acknowledgement.

What about your minor league players? https://t.co/K8JxDA5YDg — Mitch Horacek (@mhoracek14) March 16, 2020

Not complaining, but I just want to lay this out for baseball fans who don’t know what it really takes… #InvestInTheFuture pic.twitter.com/FKmsR8A7EB — JJ Schwarz (@usetheschwarz22) March 16, 2020

MLB’s announcement said it would “remain in communication” with all 30 clubs to determine an industry-wide plan for minor league compensation after April 9. Players aren’t waiting on the league to secure their finances amid uncertainty.

Bayer sets an earnings goal for himself: to make at least $400 every week.

How he gets to that figure in any normal season requires some complex navigation. A full season traveling the country, pitching for the Stockton Ports sandwiches the hours Bayer spends at his side jobs training clients, both at FAST Baseball in his hometown Denver and instructing Driveline Baseball online courses. FAST owner Jason Hirsh gives Bayer free rein of the facility to squeeze in his team-mandated pitching regimen. Free of charge, to save some cash.

A’s minor league infielder Ryan Gridley, 24, launched this business at the start of 2020. Named ProCo+, it connects pro baseball and softball players and trainers with amateur players who pay for mentoring and feedback through text, video and FaceTime on the application. Gridley say ProCo+ has doubled its subscriptions since the shutdown.

“We had guys join the program who wanted to make money in the spare time they had,” Gridley said, adding that professional players recognize the opportunity to use their insights to help themselves financially, as well as help the next generation of players.

“And now, you have a ton of time, waiting on the next season.”

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Oakland A’s clinch postseason spot with win over Giants, Mariners loss Until MLB creates an expansive compensation plan that covers the indefinite season suspension, that wait might be daunting. Money was already tight. Bayer suggested, that the league might provide facility resources so that players can continue their baseball regimens in place of or in addition to any financial support. With their typical facilities potentially shutting down, Bayer bought some weights and workout equipment and set it up in his parents’ house as a back-up plan.

“I hate to use a global pandemic like this to bring issue to pay, but now there’s just been so many people talking about it that maybe something does get done,” Bayer said. “It’s shedding light on a lot of issues that we have.”