Taiwan’s Chen Wei-yin posed in his new Miami Marlins jersey, flanked on one side by his agent, Scott Boras, and on the other by team executives as everyone smiled for the clicking cameras.
If the Marlins win this year for a change, it will be partly because they made peace with Boras.
Chen’s new contract is a dividend of the truce. The former Baltimore Orioles left-hander signed an US$80 million, five-year deal announced on Tuesday.
Photo: AP
“Baseball is like a family — you have disagreements,” Marlins president David Samson said. “But there was never an issue during the negotiations.”
Samson’s feud with the agent involved two other Boras clients, Marlins ace Jose Fernandez and outfielder Marcell Ozuna.
In November, when Boras criticized the Marlins’ handling of Ozuna last season, Samson responded by saying Boras should buy a team if he thinks he knows how to run one. Samson also said Boras would be excluded from any talks about an innings limit for Fernandez, who returned last season from Tommy John surgery.
Boras’ participation in the news conference for Chen suggested the agent and team are eager to show they have bridged their differences.
“Yes, there are times we’re going to have disagreements,” Boras said. “But to have a player of this talent be in a place where he has an opportunity to succeed at the highest level, we’ve done well by the game and for the Marlins.”
Boras said he pitched the idea of Chen in Miami to team owner Jeffrey Loria, mindful his client is a flyball pitcher who should fare well in spacious Marlins Park.
Boras also represents Marlins right-hander Jarred Cosart, meaning he has four of their players, including three starting pitchers.
“I think Scott represents more players on our team than any agent,” Samson said.
Last week, Boras and the Marlins reached a US$2.8 million, one-year agreement for Fernandez, who avoided arbitration.
Discussions about a long-term deal have been tabled for now.
Chen met Fernandez for the first time before the news conference.
“We had a short conversation,” the Taiwanese pitcher said through a translator. “I believe we’ll have a good time in Miami.”
Chen gets a US$13 million signing bonus, of which US$5 million is payable on Nov. 30 next year, and the remainder on June 30, 2018. The deal calls for salaries of US$6 million this year and US$9 million in 2017, and it includes player options at US$10 million in 2018, US$20 million in 2019 and US$22 million in 2020. All three options must be decided within four days of the end of next year’s World Series.
If Chen pitches at least 180 innings in 2020 or at least 360 in 2019 and 2020 combined, he does not finish the season on the disabled list and he is healthy for the following spring training, he would have a US$16 million player option for 2021.
Much of his salary is deferred, with Chen receiving during the season US$3 million this year, US$4.5 million in 2017, US$2 million in 2018, US$4 million in 2019, US$5 million in 2020 and US$1 million in 2021. From 2016 to 2020, he receives identical payments each Nov. 30.
In addition, US$6 million is deferred without interest in 2018, US$12 million in each of the following two seasons and, potentially, US$15 million in 2021.
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