The biggest trade rumor this offseason has primarily focused on Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Feranandez, who, probably won't even get dealt due to the team's high asking price and the right-hander's immense value to the club. His agent, Scott Boras, spoke of the possibility earlier today on MLB Network Radio.
FOX Sports' Jon Morosi indicated that Boras "does not expect" the Marlins to trade Fernandez, which has been speculated ever since rumors found the team was looking for "5-6 MLB-ready players" in return for the 23-year-old.
Here's what Boras had to say on the matter:
"I talked to [owner] Jeffrey Loria and [president of baseball operations] Mike Hill and I think they realize they have a Cuban-born player playing in Miami who's a brilliant talent. You couldn't ask for a better fit for all the parties in this situation. I would expect any and all major league teams to be calling in because Jose is young and talented ... but when you've been in this business for a long time and you've had a lot of great young players - particularly young players whose salaries are at the beginning level of their careers - teams are going to always ask about them. Rarely are they ever traded, and I think that's the case with Jose as well."
Fernandez is under club control through 2018 and is entering his first year of arbitration eligibility this offseason. He's projected to earn $2.2 million, according to MLBTradeRumors.com. That cost is almost unheard of for a pitcher of Fernandez's caliber, as the right-hander owns a 22-9 record with a 2.40 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 336 strikeouts in 47 career starts (289 innings). He was limited to just 19 starts over the past two seasons as he was recovering from Tommy John surgery.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have been at the forefront of the Fernandez trade talks, but rumors and reports indicate the Marlins' asking price is beyond the Dodgers' comfort level. Miami reportedly kept asking for youngster Corey Seager, but the Dodgers repeatedly refused. It's also believed Los Angeles does not have enough MLB talent to tempt the Marlins into making a deal.
At the end of the day, it's likely the Marlins are just poking around to see what type of return they'd be able to get for Fernandez in order to gauge his value further down the road. As a client of Boras, the right-hander is highly unlikely to sign an extension before he hits free agency, which means he will not be with the Marlins after the 2018 season. If the Marlins aren't competitive in 2017 or 2018, it's very possible the team explores deals to get value for Fernandez before he leaves in free agency.
Additionally, the Marlins just signed a big TV deal and it probably wouldn't be the best idea to trade one of their franchise players right now.
So if you're looking for more legitimate Jose Fernandez trade rumors, you'll probably have to check back in a year or two down the road.
