Gerrit Cole: MLBPA 'united to protect' the game's integrity

New York Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

Yankees' Gerrit Cole: MLBPA 'united to protect the integrity of the game' amid MLB lockout

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 2/9/22

Tuesday's expected yet nevertheless frustrating update regarding the ongoing MLB lockout informed fans that no discussions between league owners and the MLB Players Association were scheduled to occur this week as individuals from those sides hold meetings apart from each other.

New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole took to Twitter Wednesday to offer an insight into where the players stand on the big financial issues as the work stoppage threatens to affect spring training workouts set to begin one week from today:

I was at our PA meeting in AZ and it was exciting to see solidarity this high. We had 100+ players show up and are united to protect the integrity of the game.
— Gerrit Cole (@GerritCole45) February 9, 2022

As Tim Kelly explained for Audacy Sports, other noteworthy players previously utilized social media to condemn owners for the standoff, while MLB blamed players via a Friday statement for refusing to accept an offer for a federal mediator "to help bridge gaps and facilitate an agreement."

The MLBPA must agree for any third party to get involved.

Per Joel Sherman of the New York Post and others, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred is expected to address media members when the owners meetings in Florida wrap up on Thursday. Barring a miraculous 11th-hour deal, Manfred will likely announce spring training won't open next Wednesday, as scheduled.

In a different piece published Tuesday, Ken Davidoff of the Post said the sides "realistically must reach an agreement by the end of this month" to prevent Opening Day games from being pushed back from March 31. Others have set a March 3 deadline, but there's currently no indication a couple of days will make much a difference considering the owners and players are far apart "on virtually every core economic issue," as Davidoff wrote.

More must-reads: