Braves Players Dansby Swanson, Joc Pederson Get Jobs At Papa John's Amid MLB Lockout

COBB COUNTY, GA — As the Major League Baseball lockout drags on, two World Series-winning Atlanta Braves players are using the time to sharpen their skills in a pretty unconventional way: working at a Papa John's in Cobb County, according to multiple news outlets.

Shortstop Dansby Swanson and outfielder Joc Pederson worked a shift at a Papa John's location in Marietta on Friday, making pizzas from scratch and folding boxes as two of the pizza chain's first "Pre-Season Pizza Pros," People.com reported.

Papa John's jokingly tweeted last Tuesday that the company is opening "daily contracts" for MLB players with "too much time on your hands," which the eatery is calling Pre-Season Pizza Pros.

"Are you a pro ball player who's been feeling like you're stuck on the bench due to a prolonged off season? Has your patience reached the bottom of the ninth?" the eatery's website for the position reads.

"If this sounds like you, then it's time to hang up the helmet and head over to Papa John's, where we're inviting you to the pizza big leagues as our new Pre-Season Pizza Pro, an exciting new role which will put your talents back to good use."

Swanson and Pederson answered the call. The event Friday was not open to the public, but the two Braves players threw on their aprons and helped out the pizza joint, Fox 5 Atlanta reported.

Swanson tweeted a video of his pizza-making experience Tuesday.

"I haven't been doing much these days, so I figured I'd apply to @papajohns to make some dough by making some dough. Training took some getting used to, though," Swanson said.

Pederson also tweeted a video Tuesday of his training at Papa John's with Swanson, where he struggled to fold a pizza box correctly.

"Day 1 of training at my new job at @papajohns with @LieutenantDans7 ... I know my way around the batter's box, but a pizza box is a whole new ballgame," Pederson said.

The Braves' first spring training series against the Tampa Bay Rays is canceled due to the ongoing lockout until players and the league can reach a deal. It's the first lockout since 1990, and the first work stoppage since the 1994-95 players' strike.

Opening Day on March 31 is also canceled, and the MLB said regular-season games won't start any earlier than April 7 — meaning the Braves are still on track to play their April 7 home opener against the Cincinnati Reds at Truist Park.

In a letter to fans, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred vowed to close a deal between players and the league, citing 1994 when there was no agreement in place and a walk-out ended in August without playoffs or a World Series.

"The clubs and our owners fully understand just how important it is to our millions of fans that we get the game on the field as soon as possible," he wrote. "To that end, we want to bargain and we want a deal with the Players Association as quickly as possible."

Read more: Baseball Delayed Without CBA, Braves Home Opener A Go For Now