When rumors began picking up steam last week, many thought that Miami Marlins right-hander Ricky Nolasco would be the first deadline trade chip to fall this season. Here we are a week later, however, and Nolasco is still in Miami, and it appears that the Marlins' steep demands for the right-hander may be to blame, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
Ricky Nolasco rumors: Marlins’ high demands stalling trade talks
Miami wants to deal Nolasco before his Wednesday start, but the club’s steep asking price may prevent that from happening.
More Marlins: The Progression of Jose Fernandez
Miami is rumored to be seeking not only high-end prospects in return for Nolasco, but also someone who is willing to “absorb most or all” of the roughly $5.7 million remaining on the right-hander’s salary for 2013. While teams have been accommodating in offering one or the other in exchange for Nolasco, the sticking point seems to be Miami’s firm stance on getting both talent and money.
The Cubs' Side of the Feldman Deal
There can be no rush to judgment, for this is part of a series of transactions designed to impact the future. Besides... it's Scott Feldman. The Rockies reportedly agreed to send two quality prospects to Miami for Nolasco so long as the Marlins would send a bit of cash back to Colorado, but the Fish would not budge. Alternatively, the Dodgers have agreed to take on all of Nolasco's salary -- including the $1 million luxury tax hit that would come with it -- but don't want to give up much in the way of young talent. The deal with LA has seemingly been in place since late last week, but Miami has yet to agree to it.
Considering that Nolasco has never been a top-of-the-rotation guy, and that he owns a 5.09 earned-run average over his last four outings, the Marlins may have seriously overplayed their hand and could eventually be forced to settle on a deal that is well below the offers currently on the table. Nolasco owns a solid 3.93 ERA and 3.32 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 17 starts on the year, but his numbers looked a lot more appealing two weeks ago.
Buster Olney of ESPN is reporting that the Fish are starting to adjust their price for the right-hander, but it may be too little too late to work something out before his Wednesday start. The Giants, Rangers, and Padres have also shown interest in Nolasco to varying degrees over the last few weeks, but it's unclear where they stand in regards to Miami's demands.
More from SB Nation:
See More:
