MLB Lockout: As deadline nears, MLB increases minimum offer by $10K

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — In another day of minor moves during the MLB lockout as the deadline to salvage opening day on March 31 approaches, Major League Baseball’s only new offer to players Wednesday was to increase the minimum salary by an additional $10,000 a year.

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MLB increased its proposed minimum for this year to $640,000, with the figure rising by $10,000 in each additional season of a five-year agreement.

Players have asked for $775,000 in 2022, with $30,000 jumps each season.

The sides were still meeting in the early evening, gathered in a small group session.

New York Mets pitcher Max Scherzer was joined in the talks by Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole on the third straight day of bargaining.

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.

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.

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