Puig: Marlins offered me a contract but I wanted more money

Yasiel Puig won't settle for less than what he thinks he's worth.

The veteran outfielder remains on the open market, but it's apparently not for lack of offers. He says the Miami Marlins were one of the teams to offer him a contract this offseason, but he wanted more, according to Jorge Ebro of El Nuevo Herald.

"There are other teams that are not the Marlins at the moment," Puig said in Spanish, translated by theScore. "They were among the first to offer me. I did not agree with the financials. I asked for a little more to play in front of my Cubans, close to my homeland. But it is also difficult. I was six years with the Dodgers. It is another hobby. There, my Mexicans adore me, they appreciate me. I don't have to hit 5-5. ''

In addition to the Marlins, the San Francisco Giants, Chicago White Sox, and Tampa Bay Rays were reportedly pursuing Puig at various times during the winter.

Despite the delay, Puig says he's not in a rush to get a deal done because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

"Everyone knows I don't have a team right now, but that doesn't worry me. We are in a time of pandemic, which is much worse than if Yasiel Puig does not have a team," he said. "Someday I will sign. I don't know which team, but it's not time to think about baseball."

For now, the 29-year-old is trying to stay optimistic and has his sights set on 2021.

“We hope to play in 2021. I don't think there will be baseball in 2020, but if there is, we will be in some team," Puig said. "I have to stay positive. If the coronavirus has not made me negative, nothing will make me negative. ''

After six seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Puig split 2019 between the Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Indians. Across 149 games with the pair of Ohio-based teams, Puig slashed .267/.327/.458 with 24 home runs and 84 RBIs.