The Florida Marlins' efforts to sign free-agent starting pitcher Mark Buehrle have met complications, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports citing "major-league sources." The holdup? Miami has yet not agreed to include a no-trade clause in its contract offer to the left-hander.
Given the potential difficulty of landing Buehrle now--as Rosenthal notes, no one on the Marlins roster has a no-trade clause, but several teams with Buehrle on their radar are willing to offer one--the Marlins might soon turn their attention to Texas Rangers southpaw C.J. Wilson, Rosenthal says. Miami joins the Rangers, Los Angeles Angels, and Washington Nationals among teams attempting to sign the seven-year veteran.
Buehrle has spent his entire 12-season career with the Chicago White Sox, with an earned run average of 3.83 and a 161-119 record. In his most recent campaign, Buehrle went 13-9 with a 3.59 ERA. The 32-year-old also earned his third consecutive Gold Glove.
Wilson, 30, has a career record of 43-35, but only became a full-time starter in 2010. Since then, he's 31-15 in 67 starts. In 2011, he went 16-7 in an American League-best 34 starts, tallying a 2.95 ERA and picking up his first All-Star berth.