According to Joe Frisaro of MLB.com, the Miami Marlins have moved from merely a frontrunner to the “clear frontrunner” in the chase for Cuban slugger Yoenis Cespedes. The Marlins recently offered Cespedes a contract, reportedly worth roughly $40 million over six years, and the 26-year-old has said he’d love to play in Miami.
Jeffrey Loria, David Samson and the Marlins are listed as the clear favorite to sign Yoenis Cespedes. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE
In his Sunday report, Frisaro passed on news that major league sources are indicating that the Marlins are “clearly the team most likely to sign Cespedes”. This should not come as much of a surprise, as the club was the first to meet with Cespedes once he reached the States. Miami is also the first club to be tied to a firm offer for Cespedes. While initial reports had the Marlins offer in the $40 million range, Frisaro said Miami is actually willing to spend $30-35 million on Cespedes.
While most of the recent Cespedes buzz has surrounded the Marlins, Frisaro added that another team that had been seriously tied to Yoenis has backed out of the running for the outfielder. According to industry sources, the Cubs are turning their focus from Cespedes and onto fellow Cuban prospect Jorge Soler.
Beyond the Cubs and Marlins, the White Sox, Tigers, Orioles, Indians and Phillies have all been tied to Cespedes this offseason.
For more on the Marlins, be sure to check out Marlin Maniac.
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Tags: Jorge Soler, Miami Marlins, Yoenis Cespedes
Blaine joined the crew in April of 2011. He covers current news and notes from around the baseball world for Call to the Pen.
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[...] hear much from them on rumors and a lot of the recent news have indicated that it would be the Marlins that were really onto him as the words of $40 million, 6 year contract came out. Cespedes is an outfielder with great [...]