The Rangers' search for a reliable catcher may be taking them to a former Ranger who they pursued in the offseason. T.R. Sullivan and Chris Cox of MLB.com report that if the Mets put Rod Barajas on the market, the Rangers will have an interest in the veteran catcher. Sullivan and Cox notes that Texas is contacting several clubs about finding a solution to their catching problems.
Barajas turned down a minor-league contract from Texas over the winter, eventually signing a one-year deal with New York worth $500K. He has already earned a $400K bonus for making the Opening Day roster, and another $1MM is also available if Barajas reaches other incentive plateaus. Even if he gets to that maximum price, Barajas has been a bargain for the Mets, hitting a club-leading 10 homers and carrying an OPS of .893 into Friday's game with the Yankees.
Sullivan and Cox cite sources who say that if the Mets do choose to deal Barajas, it won't be until much closer to the July trade deadline. This could be to try and create a bidding war for the catcher's services, or maybe the Mets still think they can get back into contention.
