Max Scherzer tweets that players will not engage further on salary reductions after owners’ proposal

Major League Baseball owners presented an economic proposal on Tuesday that would slash player salaries. It is not surprising to hear the players responding negatively.

Washington Nationals pitcher and MLB Players Association player rep Max Scherzer tweeted on Wednesday evening that after discussions with his fellow union members of the latest proposal, “there’s no reason to engage with MLB in any further compensation reductions.”

The two sides agreed to a deal in March that would result in prorated player salaries. Owners have come back for further reductions due to expectation of no fans in attendance and thus lowered revenues. There have been reports the March deal included language opening further negotiations if no fans became a reality. The players have requested additional financial information from the league, but by recent accounts, the owners did not provide everything the players asked to see.

The two sides reportedly have a soft deadline of the first week of June to complete negotiations if the season is going to start by the first week of July. There is still a week to negotiate further, but if the players refuse to offer a counter-proposal, it then falls on the owners to decide if they will be willing to adjust from their initial proposal. The relationship is rather toxic right now, so the next day or two will be important to see who will blink first.