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Report: Alex Rodriguez Made 'Under-the-Radar' Marlins Bid Before Derek Jeter
April 21, 2020
Before he was reportedly interested in the process of buying the New York Mets, former Major League Baseball player Alex Rodriguez apparently attempted to buy the Miami Marlins.
According to Jon Heyman of MLB Network, Rodriguez "made a mostly under the radar try to buy his hometown Marlins" around the same time an ownership group that included his former teammate Derek Jeter landed the team.
Rodriguez partnered with New York businessman Wayne Rothbaum of Quogue Capital at the time, and Heyman said it is unknown if Rothbaum is interested in the Mets.
Heyman also noted Miami businessman Jorge Mas declined an offer from Rodriguez to partner in an effort to land the Mets.
This comes after Scott Soshnick of Variety reported Rodriguez and fiancee Jennifer Lopez "retained JPMorgan Chase to raise capital for a possible bid" for the National League East team.
Soshnick explained the potential opportunity for Rodriguez and others arose after the Wilpon family's attempts to sell up to 80 percent of the team to Steve Cohen fell apart when the family wanted to maintain control of the Mets for five years.
In February, Thornton McEnery of the New York Post reported Rodriguez was "the newest name to emerge as a potential suitor to buy the Mets."
As for Jeter, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reported in 2017 the New York Yankees legend contributed $25 million to the efforts of the ownership group led by New York businessman Bruce Sherman that bought the Marlins.
According to Spotrac, Rodriguez made an estimated earnings in salary of more than $424 million during his playing career on the Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers and Yankees.
The next ownership group will be tasked with turning around the franchise that has made the playoffs just five times since 1988.