MIAMI, Nov. 21 (UPI) -- Former Miami Marlins pitcher Mark Buehrle and his agent said Wednesday the team lied to them in signing the left-hander only to trade him a year later.
Buehrle and agent Jeff Berry said in a statement issued to MLB.com the hurler only agreed to sign a four-year, $58 million deal with the Marlins in December 2011 after repeated assurances that owner Jeffrey Loria was intent on building a contending team.
Instead, Buehrle, fellow starter Josh Johnson, infielder Jose Reyes, outfielder Emilio Bonifacio and catcher John Buck were dealt to the Toronto Blue Jays in a deal approved Monday by Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig.
The move was widely seen as salary dump by the Marlins, who went 69-93 in their first season in a new, $635 million ballpark. Buehrle went 13-13 with a 3.74 earned run average in 2012 and the 33-year-old is 174-132 with a 3.82 ERA for his career.
"I'm upset with how things turned out in Miami," Buehrle said in a statement. "Just like the fans in South Florida, I was lied to on multiple occasions. But I'm putting it behind me and looking forward to moving on with my career."
Berry said the Marlins "made repeated assurances about their long-term commitment to Mark and his family" while also refusing to include a no-trade clause in the contract.
