Miami Marlins Trade Rumors 2016: Wei-Yin Chen Agrees to Five-Year Deal
The Miami Marlins reportedly have agreed to terms with free agent left-hander Wei-Yin Chen for an $80 million contract, good for five years and with a vesting option for the sixth year. Accordingly, the deal does not contain a no-trade clause; however, there's an opt-out option given to Chen after the summation of the second year.
The Taiwanese born pitcher started in 31 games for the Baltimore Orioles last season, where he posted a decent 11-8 record with a 3.32 ERA. He also made 153 strikeouts in that one-year stint. The 30-year-old has a 3.72 ERA in 117 starts for the Orioles since 2012. He eventually became a free agent after rejecting the $15.8 million qualifying offer from Baltimore.
His addition to the Marlins rotation suggests that he will have to compete for the starting spot with Jose Fernandez, Edwin Jackson, Tom Koehler, Adam Conley, David Phelps, and Jarred Cosart.
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The deal though hasn't been officially signed and announced because Chen will have to pass the physical exam first.
The kind of money offered by the Orioles to Chen wasn't enough considering that he actually was the team's best and most efficient starter since joining them in 2012. He wasn't spectacular in his games, but he was able to provide quality time in the field. He's not the kind of pitcher who can be compared with the likes of Zack Greinke or Johnny Cueto; but after those top pitchers got the high-end contracts and deals they wanted, players like Chen become more appreciated, even though they essentially belong in the secondary market.
He's no superstar or franchise player, but he delivers the goods. As a solid option in the middle, he definitely will be providing an ample backup power for Fernandez, who is deemed to be next season's ace for the Marlins. It is likely that he becomes the number 2 starter for this team.
