Yadier Molina has long stated that he wants to remain with the Cardinals, and he reiterated that hope in an interview with Laura A. Bonnelly V. of Mas Que Pelota (hat tip to Deportivo Z 101’s Hector Gomez). However, Molina also revealed four other teams who have shown interest in his services — the Yankees, Mets, Padres, and Angels.
The two New York clubs had already been linked to Molina’s market, and the Cards have been in talks for seemingly close to a year about another contract to keep Molina in St. Louis. The Angels and Padres are new additions to the hunt, however, and each represents an interesting possible landing spot for the nine-time Gold Glover.
At first glance, San Diego already seems set at catcher, with Austin Nola behind the plate, former top prospect Francisco Mejia slated as the backup and star prospect Luis Campusano making his MLB debut this season. Signing Molina, however, would add immeasurably more experience and some veteran leadership to a team that plans to contend for a championship in 2021. While Nola’s ability to catch makes him a particularly valuable utility asset, he can also play several other positions around the diamond; the Padres could use Nola in a somewhat normal backup catcher role to spell Molina once a week, and then otherwise deploy him at other positions.
Molina has expressed interest in a two-year contract, but even if Molina were to land such a deal, that wouldn’t be much of a roadblock to Campusano as the Padres’ eventual catcher of the future. Mejia could be the odd man out if Molina joined the team, as Mejia has yet to show much over parts of four MLB seasons with the Indians and Padres. That said, Mejia has only 362 career plate appearances, only just turned 25, and was a consensus top-35 prospect as recently as the 2018-19 offseason, so he would still be an interesting trade chip if the Padres made him expendable.
There are some obvious family ties for Molina in Anaheim, as his brother Jose is the Angels’ catching coach, and his other brother Bengie spent his first eight MLB seasons in an Angels uniform. Yadier would also be reunited with his old Cardinals teammate Albert Pujols for the final season of Pujols’ ten-year, $240MM deal with the Halos.
Beyond the personal connections, Molina would also fill a need for Los Angeles since Max Stassi could miss the start of the season after undergoing hip surgery in October. Depending on how quickly Stassi recovers, the Angels could start Molina (and use Anthony Bemboom as the backup) until Stassi is ready, and then potentially move into something closer to a timeshare, though it’s probably safe to guess Molina might end up getting the bulk of the action.
Not surprised the Angels have shown interest. Minasian has said it almost every interview that they need to address pitching, but also run prevention in general (and mentioned catching as an important part of that).
if that team wants to make any noise next year they need some degree of production from the C spot. Stassi gives you barely nothing.
What? Stassi had decent offensive production for a catcher last year, defense is definitely the need at that spot
ah the joy of small sample sizes…
Ah the joy of sentence fragments.
Ah the joy of comment sections…
If we’re being picky… shouldn’t there be a comma in that grammar policing comment?
There’s like 6(?) catchers in baseball that give you help on both sides of the ball. I’m probably shooting high
To say that is a requirement to compete is hilarious
Why didn’t you capitalize the first sentence? Also why do you post a comment on every single post every day?
Troll
@Cream. The fact that you did a grammar check on someone else but didn’t get your own first sentence right makes you look like a stuffy, blue blooded crank. When someone pointed that out, you decided to pile up more grammatical errors to defend yourself but that just made you petty too.
C is that more of defensive position. A really good catcher can do things behind the plate that can save a run or two. Which in essence is like driving in a run. That’s why Bob Boone was so valuable to the Angels in the early 80’s. It’s also like having a manager on the field. Why so many catchers later become managers themselves.
Or, Stassi figured something out when finally given the opportunity to play everyday.
Like to see him in the Mets as back up catcher, DH Back up first baseman
Met’s are not going to sign him as a back up.
The only way he signs with another team is if the Cardinals say no to him starting and he starts somewhere else. If backup is all he can land, he 100% stays in St. Louis
Yadi Yadi Yadi
One of The best to ever do it
Wed love to see him stay with the Cardinals first got to see him in ’04 then Mike Matheny was allowed to walk, really decent defensive catcher. I didn’t know what I was witnessing wasn’t normal. I didn’t know that those teams were gonna be some of the best I’d ever seen. Watching the Cardinals play from 2001-2015 was a true blessing. Gave me hope. I am thankful to have gotten to witness it.
“Yadier Molina is about winning, and winning championships, period.” -Mike Shildt after game 5 2019 NLDS
No one likes the Cardinals
No one likes you.
I 2nd that
He’d fit in with the Yanks with his toxic attitude
Truly one of the dumbest comments I’ve ever read on this website. Remarkably stupid.
Please explain, because “toxic attitude” makes little sense.
He’s one of those guys who tries to enforce the unwritten rules and gets all pissy if anyone celebrates too much…. oh unless it’s him celebrating a bag hit, in which case he yells and screams and dances around and yells into the other teams dugout. I guess the unwritten rules apply to everyone but him.
Big hit*
One of those guys that you love when he’s on your team and hate when he’s not.
I know Molina chirps at batters for time taken outside the box and sometimes with celebrations, but I wouldn’t call that toxic. It’s the general back and forth in the game and just being competitive. I havent heard anything suggesting he is a toxic teammate. Milton Bradley is toxic, Molina just seems like a competitive dbag akin to AJ Pierzynski (I mean that in the best way possible)
So he’s competitive and comes from an older school of etiquette? Oh boy, yup severely toxic. Ban that dude from baseball…. 4-ever.
All you really need to know is that he sparked a bench-clearing incident earlier this season because of a catcher’s interference that HE initiated as catcher.
Oh no.
Not fighting.
toxic? really?
Blue Jays ? LOL
I think this is all a dog & pony show – he’s gonna re-sign with the Cardinals. Just trying to get that 2nd year.
I hope so. He is the last one in probably a long while that has been with the same team for career for so long and close to retirement. Bum might have been one but after that who is next? Kershaw maybe?
Rizzo could too.
Rizzo played for the Padres in 2011
Yea I remembered that the second after I hit submit.
Molina is number 1, Zimmerman was number 2 followed by Wainwright. Then Pedroia, then Gordon, then Braun and finally Votto before you get to Kershaw.
Many of those guys have fallen off, and it very well could be Votto by ST as the longest tenured player with one team (9-4-07)
Yeah Posey too
@ thecoop, I agree. His agent is successfully drumming up competition, or the perception there of, to force the Cards to give him a two year contract. And, as far as I’m concerned, the Cards should give him one last two year deal. He wants that, the STL fan base wants that, and, frankly, IMO, Yadi has earned it. Then sign Wainwright to a one year deal, and the Cards are probably finished until next offseason.
Cards are rebuilding. Molina (and wainwright) are done in StL. Yall are the last ones to find out apparently
Waino I think will be back the Cards. I think they want Yadi to go so they can move on with their younger catchers.
i would almost agree but when molina was out this year they had more faith in a hobbled broken down witers than let a healthy kinser play. that right there tells me there not confident in him or he’s not ready and the c under him is about 2 years away.
Certainly could be, @rememberthecoop.
I dunno though.
Look, I live in the Midwest. Love it out here. I’ve pretty much gone native.
But, man, if my choice is to play my age 39 & 40 seasons on a solid yet actually fringey competitor in St Louis *or* latch on with an up & coming highly talented team in San Diego… well, I’m not sure that’s *really* a choice.
It’d be “hello beaches” for this cowboy.
The love fest that ensue in dugout between Molina and Pujols.
He will sign with Cubs after Contreras is traded.
Let him walk. Wind up paying a ton for a 38 year old catcher is ridiculous.
It’s a good thing nobody’s going to pay him a ton. He’ll get less than $10M a year on this contract.
Yeah. The Cards can keep him and save $8-12m per year over 2020. I don’t get the “let him walk” angle. If the Yankees want to keep paying him $20m/year, maybe, but I can’t see that happening.
Angels let’s gooo
Definitely his agent trying to squeeze St. Louis but if they don’t give him that second year, I can see him donning our red.
There’s a phrase in UK football – “let your players grow old at other clubs”
This is no disrespect to HOFer Molina – I’d do the same – but he’s now a pension player. I guess he’d enjoy playing dominoes with Uncle Albert Pujols.
“This is no disrespect to HOFer Molina” continues to disrespect both Molina and Pujols. lol what a tool.
@laflama
I’ll have to spell it out a little more slowly for you….
Do the Angels really need yet another veteran on $20 million a year to go with Upton & Pujols.? I hear Bartolo Colon is still available..
Is that clear enough for you or do you need to look in a mirror to see a tool?
Lol @ Yadi getting $20 mil per
Kind of agree but that’s what the Cards have been paying him these last three years…
Yeah, but he signed that deal when he was 35 and a much better player. Especially with free agent salaries expected to tank this offseason, nobody is giving him even half that much.
Have you noticed all the guys already getting more than this site predicted they would. FA salaries are not tanking, they are going up.
They won’t be going up during the pandemic 2021 FA salaries will be down
Luis Campusano made his major league debut last September against the Oakland A’s. In fact, his first major league hit was a solo home run.
@DrDan
That’s a clown comment bro.
No it’s not. He did make his major league debut already this author got it wrong and needs to know so he can correct it
Not only that, but he got busted for drugs recently back home. So whether he’ll be catching for anyone for 5 to 10 is an open question.
Read that the charges against him have already been lowered to a misdemeanor so no jail time is coming. Weed is not one of the banned substances so just being in possession of it will not lead to any punishment from MLB.
Where is the source for the charges against Campusano being lowered to a misdemeanor? Don’t tell us to Google it like you always do across your many backup accounts. You made the claim. You provide the proof.
Not sure if its already been said, but Campusano has already made his MLB debut.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/campulu01.shtml
No Blue Jays on this list?
All seriousness the Jays pitching staff could use him and so could Kirk.
Molina is a special case. If you want him in your organization show him it’s long term that his play was special but his knowledge and the catching skills he can pass on are equally as important. Sign him to a player/ coach position and build your future catchers for the next 5 years or longer
I would assume future manager of the Redbirds one day in the near future
Unless Molina is blown away by some stupid team or if the Cards pass, Molina is a Card and his agent is only working the system to get as much $$$ as possible. However, it’s going to be limited money.
Yadi’s 2 older Brothers played for Angels and won WS. I remember one play where they both scored and they were known as slow runners and the Announcer refered to them as the flying Molina brothers. I know him well as he was the catcher on my fantasy team. I didn’t need to carry a backup or adjust my lineup as he played nearly everyday.
Yadi is a superb superb two way catcher and a future HOF. His Brothers when asked which of the 2 were the better catcher always answered their younger brother and they weren’t just being modest, they were accurate.
Luis Campusano already made his major league debut…
Even as a cubs fan. I hope he stays in St. Louis. Uts so rare these days a player stays with one team their entire career. It’s even more rare to be the best player at your position for 15years.
After NYY trades Sanchez, they will sign Yadi-2 yrs. That is his best chance for a ring.
Please help me understand why the Yankees make sense for him? Love the Yankees, and have total respect for Yadi as one of the best ever at his position.
I just don’t see it. It’s patchwork. They have the opportunity to get McCann, same function, not much difference in price, relatively speaking, but they address both sides of the ball. I know they check into everyone, but of all possibilities for catcher, he just seems to fit the least. Commit to Sanchez or don’t; trade him or don’t. They’re hurting him in my opinion by not making a definitive commitment regarding his position.
Personally I would like to see him return to the Cards and I think he will do that, and yeah, I’m one of those guys.
@Cilpper.
Always good to see you on the board.
I agree with you completely on this one. You probably know that I lean pretty far to “Commit to Sanchez” on that particular spectrum. But yeah. Stop bouncing him around. He’s playing winter ball right now ffs.
Either way, I’m with you. Molina is *not* the answer.
The Yankees could Molina at a cheaper contract. Plus—- The Yanks have an abundance of superstars now, but no solid leader who has had as much World Series caliber leadership as Yadi.
I feel certain— should the Yankees pick up both Yadi and Waino, those 2 could motivate and dictate the younger Yankees right into the 2021 World Series.
The article states that the Padres could sign Molina, and then deploy Nola as a backup catcher and a super utility infielder. But is that so? He’s not getting time at SS at the expense of Tatis, or at 3B instead of Machado. The team has already shown they won’t sit Hosmer at 1B, and at 2B Cronenworth was ROY runner up.
More than likely they’re interested in Molina for his ability to handle a staff (SD’s is very young) and because it will allow them to trade 1 or 2 catchers off their ML roster. In fact Nola might be the one who gets traded. Maybe as part of a trade with Tampa for Snell?
Your logic doesn’t follow. They didn’t buy Austin Nola at peak value just so they could try and flip him later.
I predicted NYY but, I’m 0-3.
Campusano already made his debut
Five teams that I can hardly stand to hear
Including yankees and Mets
And one more padre who isn’t here
I can see the agents talking
How the times are getting hard
And that fearsome excavation
On Magnolia Boulevard
FU Arte! lol
You want the Cardinals just buy them off Dewitt.
As a Phillies fan it’s interesting to note that they are not one of the five clubs but the Mets & Yankees are. Grasping at any straw of hope the JTR resigns with the Phils.
I still see the Yankees making a strong
Push to obtain both Molina and Wainwright for 2021. With obtaining both Molina & Wainwright’s abilities, leadership and more recent World Championship playoff experience, the Yankees with their current lineup, would have to then be the obvious leader toward a 2021 World Series Championship!!!
Because of John Mozeliak, you will not see either Molina or Wainwright back in a Cardinals uniform unless it might be an invitation back to an old timers game after their careers are long over.
On the yankees that would be interesting. Hope they don’t trade Gary though, let him learn under Yadi
Excellent idea!!! If the Yanks can afford to do it that way.
Sign with the Yankees and take Wainwright with you Yadi. Both of you will be a needed asset and quite possibly be able to win yourselves another World Series Ring with the Yankees!!!
We the fans would love to have you remain in St. Louis for ever. But as we’ve seen over the past 6 years, the president of baseball operations, (John Mozeliak), along with the owners, have absolutely no intentions of signing impact free agent hitters nor do they have any intention of trading for an in his prime, young, impact hitter such as Arenaldo. That is just how they think now.
Go somewhere that you will be appreciated and have a chance to contend for a world Championship!!!!!!
It will mark the end of an era for Cardinals baseball when Yadi leaves. Time marches on, but it’s still sad. I think the Cards will have to return to greatness without him.