Marlins Looking to Trade Ricky Nolasco, Highest Paid Guy on the Roster

Oh, you didn't think that the Miami Marlins payroll could get any lower? Well, multiple reports indicate that the team is looking to trade away pitcher Ricky Nolasco, who is by far the highest paid player on the team. In fact the $11.5 million he's making this year makes up...

By Kyle Munzenrieder

June 25, 2013

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Oh, you didn't think that the Miami Marlins payroll could get any lower? Well, multiple reports indicate that the team is looking to trade away pitcher Ricky Nolasco, who is by far the highest paid player on the team. In fact the $11.5 million he's making this year makes up about 30 percent of the team's payroll.

According to ESPN reporter Buster Olney the team has "been aggressively working to move Ricky Nolasco, ASAP."

Fox Sports reports that the Giants, Dodgers, Padres and Rockies, all teams in the NL West, have expressed interest in signing the star pitcher.

Nolasco has played his entire major league career with the Marlins, and holds numerous franchise records. He's the team leader in both strikeouts and overall wins.

NBC Sports theorizes that the timing of the trade buzz isn't coincidental:

By moving him a month earlier than the July 31 trade deadline, the Marlins would save an extra $2 million or so. And from an on-field standpoint, the sooner the Marlins trade Nolasco the less time he has to ugly-up his 3.68 ERA after posting a combined 4.68 ERA from 2009-2012.

Of course, Nolasco will be a free agent after this season, and we wouldn't blame him if he was looking to get as far away from the Marlins as soon as possible. So maybe this isn't such a bad thing. Though we have no idea what the Marlins are seeking in return.

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