NEW YORK _ A group led by former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and ex-Yankee Derek Jeter has rounded up the investors to buy the Marlins.
"They have the money," a Major League Baseball source said.
But the source said negotiations to purchase the Marlins are ongoing and that three groups are in the running to acquire the franchise from current owner Jeffrey Loria.
A group led by Massachusetts businessman Tagg Romney is also in contention to buy the club, the source said, as well as a third "surprise" group that is a latecomer to the process.
The Romney group also has the money to buy the team, the source said.
An agreement could be reached within the next 10 days but would require approval from MLB owners. That final step might not take place until as late as August.
The Bush-Jeter group offered $1.3 billion while the Romney group, which includes former big-league pitcher Tom Glavine, bid slightly more.
Last week, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred confirmed that two groups were bidding for the team.
"We have two very strong groups that we believe will have sufficient financial resources to complete the sale and run the team effectively," Manfred said in a statement to the Miami Herald.
But the source said a third group of investors has since entered the picture.
Loria had struck a non-binding agreement with the Bush group _ a handshake deal a source in the Bush camp told the Herald _ that would give the former presidential candidate the first opportunity to buy the team.
But, until recently, Bush had not been able to definitively prove that he had the money to fund the deal.
Now he has, the source said.
