Albert Pujols Headed to the Miami Marlins?
According to a tweet by the Sports Illustrated’s Jon Heyman, marquee first baseman Albert Pujols has been proposed a 10-year contract from the Miami Marlins reportedly worth over $200 million.
The offer comes nine months after Pujols rejected his former ball club’s (St. Louis Cardinals) nine-year proposal for about $195 million.
A free agent for the first time in his career, Pujols has received heavy interest from the Marlins over the last few days, but as multiple sports media outlets have pointed out, St. Louis – Pujol’s home since his MLB debut in 2001 – is offering full no-trade protection, whereas the Marlins have not.
“I know the ownership group is putting their best foot forward and trying to do everything that they can to make this possible,” new Cardinals manager Mike Matheny told the Christian Science Monitor, “but I also know it’s a complicated decision on both sides. There’s a lot going on, a lot that I’m not even involved in, but I think it’s clear to say that the St. Louis Cardinals would love to have Albert, and we’ll see how it all plays out.”
Update:The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported the Cardinals’ offer could reach $220 million over 10 seasons — one-upping Miami’s offer for the same timespan.
Both teams are said to be pressuring Pujols and agent Dan Lozano to agree to terms as soon as possible, but the magnitude of the decision has the 31-year-old first baseman considering his options.
Those close to the situation expect Pujols will make his decision in less than 24 hours.
Do you think Albert Pujols would fit in well with the recently upgraded Miami Marlins lineup? Is the lure to take his talents to South Beach too enticing to pass up on?
