Scott Boras: Franchises losing to win later is destructive to MLB

— -- This MLB offseason has been notable for its inaction in free agency, with many star players still unsigned just weeks before pitchers and catchers are set to report.

Many of those players are represented by Scott Boras, who, in a telephone interview with The Athletic, criticized franchises for skimping on payrolls despite healthy revenues and losing to get better draft picks and higher monetary allotments to sign those players.

"I do my job. I care for my clients. I am spending every waking hour trying to bring attention to owners so they act with integrity," Boras told The Athletic. "Certainly I want them to sign my clients. But I'm trying to get them to act with integrity. Winning is the cement of baseball integrity."

"We kicked people out of the game when they tried to not win," Boras continued, referring to the Black Sox scandal, in which baseball banned eight members of the 1919 Chicago White Sox after they were accused of intentionally losing the World Series. "We have to get rid of the noncompetitive cancer. We can't go to our fan bases and sell the promise of losing to win later. That is destructive to our sport because it has removed one-third of the competition."

Among the Boras clients currently unsigned: Outfielder J.D. Martinez, first baseman Eric Hosmer, third baseman Mike Moustakas, right-hander Jake Arrieta and closer Greg Holland.