Jose Fernandez has proven to be one of the best young pitchers in baseball, but the Miami Marlins may entertain trade offers for him this offseason.
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Marlins Reportedly Will Deal Fernandez This Offseason
Tuesday, Nov. 17
According to Craig Mish of SiriusXM, there is a “growing sentiment around baseball and internally with the Marlins” that the team will trade Fernandez.
However, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reported Fernandez is “not being shopped or discussed to be shopped.”
Chris Towers of CBSSports.com noted, “Trying to justify trading Jose Fernandez from a baseball perspective is just silly.”
Fernandez is only 23 and has gone 22-9 with a 2.40 ERA, a 1.01 WHIP and 336 strikeouts in 289.0 innings pitched over three seasons. He is under club control until 2018 (he’s arbitration eligible for the first time this offseason), and his best seasons appear to be ahead of him, so trading him seems illogical.
On the other hand, injuries have become a bit of a concern, as he’s already had Tommy John surgery and missed a month of this season, after returning from that surgery, due to a right biceps strain. But the bigger issue is Miami’s current feud with Fernandez’s agent, Scott Boras, which escalated last week.
“[Boras] will not be involved in any discussion as it relates to Jose Fernandez,” team president David Samson said when discussing Fernandez’s workload for next season, per the Associated Press and ESPN.com. “We will be in touch with the doctors and Jose as we formulate a plan.”
If the Marlins don’t sign Fernandez to a long-term contract extension or ultimately trade him, it seems likely the feud with Boras will be the cause. The Marlins may have a history of making sweeping changes for cost-cutting purposes, but trading a 23-year-old future ace would be surprising, unless other factors—like the presence of Boras—play a major part.
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