Scherzer arrives in Porsche as MLB lockout talks resume

Published 4:51 pm Wednesday, February 23, 2022

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — New York Mets pitcher Max Scherzer arrived in a black Porsche and Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole joined the talks Wednesday as baseball players and management met for a third straight day in an attempt to salvage opening day on March 31.

Free agent pitcher Andrew Miller and Yankees reliever Zack Britton also joined the negotiations on the 84th day of the lockout and were alongside Houston catcher Jason Castro. Those five are among the eight members of the union’s executive subcommittee, which supervises collective bargaining.

Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor, another subcommitee member, was at the talks earlier in the week.

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Texas infielder Marcus Semien and Boston pitcher James Paxton, the other two members, have not been seen during the talks at Roger Dean Stadium, the vacant spring training home of the Miami Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals.

Britton, Cole, Lindor, Paxton and Scherzer are represented by Scott Boras, baseball’s most powerful agent.

With baseball mired in its ninth and second-longest work stoppage, less than a week remains until the sides reach what management says is a Monday deadline for a deal that would allow the season to start as scheduled. Players have not said whether they accept that timeframe, and there remains a sense both sides are awaiting more time pressure to force more major moves by the other.

There has been no movement on the biggest issue: luxury tax thresholds and rates.

Teams have told the union they will not decrease revenue sharing and will not add new methods for players to accrue service time, which players said are needed to prevent teams from holding players back to delay free agency.