MLB Trade Rumors: Marlins Offered Collection of Top Prospects for Jon Lester

Jon Lester was traded by the Boston Red Sox at the MLB Trade deadline on Thursday to the Oakland Athletics for Yoenis Cespedes. A deal that has been met with both rave reviews and criticism for the Sox.

The Marlins were said to be in on the Lester sweepstakes, but reportedly took a step back when the Sox asked for Marlins star outfielder Christian Yelich in return. Yelich would have been a great coup for the Sox, as he’s having a better 2014 season than Cespedes, is younger, and under team control for longer.

With Yelich off limits, the Sox then asked for the Marlins top pitching prospect, Andrew Heaney. The Marlins were unwilling to part with Heaney for a two-month rental in Lester.

That however did not stop the Marlins from making a strong offer of a collection of prospects to the Sox, one that the Sox did consider heavily, before moving on with the A’s deal, according to Rob Bradford of WEEI.

"Along with Baltimore, Miami extended the best package of prospects to the Red Sox for Lester before the Sox decided to go with Oakland offer of Yoenis Cespedes for the pitcher and outfielder Jonny Gomes."

No there is no word on who these prospects are that the Marlins offered, but you have to think some combination of Colin Moran, Jake Marisnick, Justin Nicolino, and some other lower prospects had to be on the table.

At the end of the day, the Sox went the Cespedes route, one that could help the team jump back into contention as soon as the 2015 season. Depending on the Marlins offer, the Sox could have passed up a better deal.

We’ll never know.