JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Commissioner Rob Manfred and top deputy Dan Halem met with players Monday on the final day of negotiations to end the lockout before Major League Baseball’s deadline to salvage a March 31 start to the regular season and a 162-game schedule.

Emotions became more heated as the sides pressed for each other’s bottom line for a deal. Philadelphia star Bryce Harper posted a photo on Instagram altered to show him in a Japanese baseball uniform with the words: “Yomiuri Giants you up? Got some time to kill.”

Yankees pitcher Jameson Taillon, who attended negotiations last week, tweeted: “Players are used to their ‘threats.’ Owners actions have made it clear all along that they have a set # of games where they still make profits/get TV money. They don’t want to play. It’s sad that these are the guys who drive the direction and ‘future’ of our amazing sport.”

The sides agreed to arrive at Roger Dean Stadium at 10 a.m., three hours earlier than usual. It was the eighth straight day of talks at the vacant spring training home of the Miami Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals.

Halem and Executive Vice President Morgan Sword met with the union for about 45 minutes in the day’s first session, which ended about noon.

In mid-afternoon, Manfred and Halem met with the players for about 35 minutes. Later, Halem and Colorado Rockies CEO Dick Monfort walked over to talk with the players.

Mets pitcher Max Scherzer and free agent reliever Andrew Miler were the only players on hand.

The lockout was in its 89th day. MLB has not fixed an exact time to the deadline, which leads to the possibility of bargaining sessions stretching into the wee hours if both sides see a deal within reach.

Sides were still far apart, but pressure was increasing. Players would lose $20.5 million in salary for each day of the season that is canceled, according to a study by The Associated Press, and the 30 teams would lose large sums that are harder to pin down.

Monday was picked as a deadline because Manfred says at least 28 days of training are needed before the season starts. The union has not said whether it agrees, and baseball has shortened spring training to as few as three weeks in the past.