When Scott Boras' phone rings, agent quips: 'Just another owner begging to meet with Skubal'

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Scott Boras was 15 minutes into his annual pun-filled news conference at the general managers meetings when a cellphone rang in his pocket.“Just another owner begging to meet with Skubal,” baseball's most visible agent quipped Wednesday.Boras represents about two dozen free agents in what Major League Baseball hopes is the last offseason without a salary cap. Tarik Skubal, a Boras client, could set a contract record for a pitcher.Teams are negotiating to reach deals before an expected lockout starts Dec. 2.“There’s a clear intent on a group of players,” said Boras, whose free agent clients include Randy Arozarena, Nick Martinez and Max Scherzer. “They’re pursuing it aggressively.”MLB's five-year labor contract expires Dec. 1 at 12:59 p.m. EST and management is expected to immediately start the sport's 10th work stoppage since 1972.On the day before the lockout began in 2021, there were 27 announced contracts that totaled more than $1.4 billion — include deals for Boras