What exactly are Derek Jeter and the Miami Marlins' front office trying to accomplish? Time
Christian Yelich's agent told ESPN in a story published Tuesday that his client wants to be traded to another team before spring training, citing an "irretrievably broken" relationship with the Miami Marlins.
Agent Joe Longo, who represents Yelich for Paragon Sports, told the network that the 26-year-old outfielder loves Miami and has had a great experience there, but his presence on the team this season would be "uncomfortable for both sides."
"They have a plan," Longo told ESPN. "I respect that plan, but that plan shouldn't include Christian at this point in his career. He's in the middle of the best years of his career, and having him be part of a 100-loss season is not really where (we) want to see him going."
The Marlins have slashed payroll in recent months following the arrival of owner Bruce Sherman and CEO Derek Jeter, trading away several key players for little more than prospects in return. Miami has already shipped MVP Giancarlo Stanton to the New York Yankees, Marcell Ozuna to the St. Louis Cardinals and Dee Gordon to the Seattle Mariners.
The wave of trades has left Yelich, a career .290 hitter who finished with 18 home runs and 81 RBI in 2017, as one of the few building blocks left in Miami. He signed a seven-year, $49.5 million deal prior to the 2015 season, but Longo told ESPN that the circumstances in Miami have since changed drastically.
"The relationship between player and team is irretrievably broken. It's soured," Longo told ESPN. "He's part of the old ownership regime. The new ownership regime needs to get new parts into this plan and move forward, and he needs to get on with his career where he's got a chance to win."
Contact Tom Schad at tschad@usatoday.com or on Twitter @Tom_Schad.