CC Sabathia says Derek Jeter was ‘pissed’ at Marlins for not spending money

When Derek Jeter stepped down as Marlins CEO and bought his 4% possession stake on Feb. 28, it got here as a shock to these across the league.

Slightly below 5 years into his tenure, Jeter exited the group, alluding to the rationale for his departure in his exit assertion.

“The imaginative and prescient for the way forward for the franchise is totally different than the one I signed as much as lead,” Jeter mentioned, through PR Newswire.

And now, CC Sabathia, former Yankee teammate from 2009-14, mentioned the rationale why Jeter left is as a result of he wished to make a run at free agent outfielder Nick Castellanos. Sabathia informed the R2C2 podcast with Ryan Ruocco that the Marlins weren’t keen to pony up the money for Castellanos’ signature.

Castellanos is likely one of the massive names remaining available on the market, coming off a profession season in 2021 with the Reds. The 30-year-old had a slash line of .309/.362/.576 with 34 house runs and 100 RBIs.

“[Castellanos] is a beast,” Sabathia mentioned, through the New York Publish. “I do know Jeter wished him unhealthy. The Marlins are the Marlins. It doesn’t matter what you attempt to do to make them higher, on the finish of the day there’s simply at all times been unhealthy possession. Jeter did all the things he may, he lined all the things up for him and that is the yr you signal Castellanos.

Miami Marlins CEO Derek Jeter watches throughout a spring coaching baseball sport towards the Houston Astros, Friday, March 5, 2021, in Jupiter, Fla. Jeter introduced a shock departure from the Miami Marlins Monday, Feb. 28, 2022.
(AP Picture/Lynne Sladky, File)

“They’ve received a bunch of pitching, Jazz Chisholm is a star, you’ve received Miguel Rojas enjoying brief. Appears good, like actually good, he constructed a very good workforce. The minor league group is nice, however it’s simply time to spend cash.”

Shortly after Jeter got here in, the mass exodus of the Marlins started. The gifted outfielder trio of Giancarlo Stanton, Christian Yelich and Marcell Ozuna had been all traded earlier than the 2018 season. Miami turned a basement dweller for the subsequent two seasons, earlier than incomes its first playoff look in 17 years in 2020.

Derek Jeter, CEO of the Miami Marlins, watches batting apply earlier than a baseball sport towards the Philadelphia Phillies, Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021, in Miami.
(AP Picture/Lynne Sladky)

However in 2021, Miami bottomed out… once more. The Marlins completed 67-95, fourth place within the NL East. It’s clear to everybody that Miami must spend to remain related within the senior circuit, however it seems that isn’t within the books below chairman and principal proprietor Bruce Sherman.

“I simply really feel unhealthy for him as a result of I understand how a lot time he put into that and the way severe he took that job and I do know he’s pissed,” Sabathia mentioned. “Yeah, it sucks, however the Marlins are the Marlins.”