Marlins offer to Aroldis Chapman featured ‘deep backloading’

The Marlins made free agent closer an offer between $80 and $86 million, but the deal was backloaded and didn’t feature a no-trade clause, according to FanRag Sports’ Jon Heyman.

Miami wanted to land one of the top three closers—either Chapman, Kenley Jansen or Mark Melancon—but ultimately left the Winter Meetings without any of the three. The Marlins’ offer to Chapman is notable, though, because it reportedly was more valuable than his deal with the Yankees turned out to be.

The Marlins are often hesitant to give no-trade clauses, with Giancarlo Stanton proving to be a notable exception. Stanton’s extension was also backloaded to give the club payroll flexibility in the first few years of the deal.

Miami signed Janichi Tazawa on Thursday night and is reportedly still in on Brad Ziegler. The Marlins seem to be determined to improve the bullpen via the free agent market instead of adding starting pitching this winter.