Source: Jeffrey Loria to be pitched offer to sell Marlins
— -- An offer is being prepared to purchase the Miami Marlins, who are for sale for the first time since owner Jeffrey Loria bought the team in 2002, a source confirmed to ESPN's Darren Rovell.
Loria has been offered $1.6 billion for the team, according to Forbes, which first reported that the Marlins had received a purchase offer.
Reached by ESPN's Jayson Stark, Marlins president David Samson declined comment on the reports.
Loria purchased the team in 2002 for $158 million from John Henry. Loria funded the purchase by selling the Montreal Expos to Major League Baseball for $120 million and covering the rest with a $38 million loan from MLB.
Some of the value of the team has been boosted by MLB's Advanced Media business, which is owned equally by all owners.
The Marlins enter 2017 looking for their first winning season since 2009, as a late fade dropped Miami to a 79-82 finish in 2016.
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