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J.T. Realmuto

Evening Trade Chatter: Realmuto, Profar, Reds, Dodgers, Rockies

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With rumors flying about Marlins backstop J.T. Realmuto, it’s still hard to guess where he’ll land. Miami president of baseball operations Mike Hill says that’s a result of the robust demand for Realmuto, Joel Sherman of the New York Post tweets. While the Fish are working to home in on a narrower slate of suitors, per Hill, it’s hard at this point to do so.  The Rays are one of the teams to have “circle[d] back” on Realmuto, per Jon Heyman of Fancred (via Twitter), which lends credence to Hill’s statement. Though the Tampa Bay organization recently added Mike Zunino behind the dish, it seems another acquisition could still be contemplated. Both players could conceivably coexist on the same roster (perhaps, but not necessarily, in a three-catcher arrangement with Michael Perez), or the Rays could in theory flip Zunino.

For now, that’s just another scenario to keep an eye on as the market develops. Here’s some more trade chatter from the Winter Meetings:

  • The Athletics have engaged the Rangers in trade talks regarding infielder Jurickson Profar, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (via Twitter). It seems the Oakland organization is scanning the market at second base, as the club is known to have interest in bringing back Jed Lowrie and has also been connected to Ian Kinsler (link) and DJ LeMahieu (link), with veteran Troy Tulowitzki perhaps representing a possibility as well. Rosenthal adds that handing the job to Franklin Barreto remains a possibility, as GM David Forst recently suggested, though it certainly appears that’s not the club’s preference. Profar, who seems to have been around forever but is just 25 years of age, turned in easily his most impressive season to date in 2018, slashing .254/.335/.458 with twenty long balls and ten steals over 594 plate appearances.
  • There has been a bevy of rumors surrounding the Reds, who seem to be knocking on quite a few doors at multiple positions. Pitching, though, remains the key. The Cincinnati ballclub is still “active in trade discussions” with the Yankees on Sonny Gray and the Blue Jays on Marcus Stroman, per Jon Morosi of MLB.com (Twitter link). It’ll surprise few to hear that the Reds see those two hurlers as more reasonably achievable targets than Indians ace Corey Kluber, as Morosi adds. Both Gray and Stroman profile as bounceback targets, marking quite a distinction from Kluber, with the former clearly set to be dealt but the latter occupying a less-certain position on the trade market. With two years of control remaining, the Jays are said to be putting a high price on Stroman.
  • Speaking of Reds trade chatter, Rosenthal tweets that the club is still kicking around scenarios with the Dodgers. (We previously rounded up the rumors on that match here, here, and here.) It turns out that the clubs are discussing scenarios involving Matt Kemp, along with a host of other previously rumored players, in what are quite obviously wide-ranging talks. No deal is close, says Rosenthal, though it certainly appears as if both teams believe they match up well on paper on a deal that would, in conjunction with some other pieces, send an expensive outfielder to Cincinnati and deliver the hefty Homer Bailey contract out west. It’ll be fascinating to see whether something comes together in these talks — or, frankly, any of the many others being conducted by the Cincinnati and Los Angeles organizations.
  • We heard yesterday about the latest in the Rockies’ search for a big bat, and Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post updates the situation. Edwin Encarnacion of the Indians is a “legitimate target,” per the report, though GM Jeff Bridich has indicated that Wil Myers of the division-rival Padres is not. The Colorado organization is obviously looking to come away from the offseason with at least one significant offensive upgrade, though as yet it’s not clear whether the team has really narrowed its focus or is still canvassing the market in search of value.

Reds Interested In J.T. Realmuto

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3:38pm: The Reds are still talking to the Marlins about Realmuto but aren’t including Senzel in the trade negotiations, Jon Heyman tweets.

1:34pm: Yet another suitor has emerged for J.T. Realmuto, as SiriusXM’s Craig Mish (Twitter link) reports that the Reds “have jumped into” talks for the Marlins catcher.  It isn’t a new interest, however, as the Miami Herald’s Clark Spencer hears that Cincinnati has been interested in Realmuto “for a while.”  Current Reds catcher Tucker Barnhart and outfield prospect Taylor Trammell have been mentioned as possible candidates to go back to Miami in the deal, according to Fancred Sports’ Jon Heyman (via Twitter).

Cincinnati has been linked to a number of big names in trade and free agent speculation this winter, with their focus largely aimed at pitching but also such notable position players as A.J. Pollock, Yasiel Puig, and Ender Inciarte.  Acquiring a catcher, however, would count as something of an unexpected move on the Reds’ part, since Barnhart was signed to a four-year extension just in September 2017.  As Realmuto is arguably the best catcher in baseball, there’s obvious upgrade potential for Cincinnati, and adding such a star player with just two years of remaining control further indicates the Reds’ willingness to make a quick return to contention.

Never an above-average hitter, Barnhart slashed .248/.328/.372 last season, which represented a dip from his 2017 production.  Defensively, Barnhart continued to have some of the lowest framing rankings of any catcher in baseball (as per StatCorner and Baseball Prospectus), and his once-elite throwing arm also took a hit, as Barnhart threw out just under 24% of all baserunners trying to steal on him last season.  On the plus side, Barnhart continued to draw high marks for his pitch-blocking abilities.

Barnhart is owed $10.25MM in guaranteed money over the next three seasons (including a $500K buyout of a $7.5MM option for 2022), so he’s still be a very affordable piece to solidify Miami’s catching situation if he was part of the Realmuto trade package.  Trammell is a longer-term piece, and the type of blue chip prospect the Marlins have been seeking in exchange for their All-Star catcher.

Trammell is a consensus top-50 prospect in all of baseball, ranked as the second-best prospect (behind Nick Senzel) in the Reds’ system.  MLB.com is most bullish on Trammell, ranking him 17th on its top 100 list.  Drafted 35th overall in 2016, Trammell is regarded as an excellent athlete with outstanding speed, and a developing approach at the plate.  The 21-year-old showed improved contact skills and plate discipline in his third pro season, and MLB.com’s scouting report believes Trammell will develop more power as he ages.

NL East Notes: Pollock, Camargo, Swanson, Maldonado, Realmuto, deGrom

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The Braves have discussed offering a contract to free agent A.J. Pollock, The Athletic’s David O’Brien writes (subscription required).  Atlanta is known to be casting a wide net for outfield help so it isn’t any surprise that Pollock is one of the team’s many options under consideration.  The 31-year-old would, however, be one of the costlier names available, both in terms of money — Pollock is reportedly looking for an $80MM deal — and in draft compensation, as Pollock rejected a qualifying offer from the Diamondbacks.  The Braves would have to give up their third-highest selection in the 2019 draft for signing Pollock, though GM Alex Anthopoulos indicated that wouldn’t be an obstacle.  Pollock has spent the vast majority of his career as a center fielder but would likely shift to a corner position in Atlanta given Ender Inciarte’s outstanding glovework, though Inciarte has himself been the subject of some trade speculation.

More from Atlanta and other teams in the NL East…

  • The Braves have one of the game’s deeper farm system, though they have also received interest in several players on their Major League roster.  Johan Camargo and Dansby Swanson are two players other teams have called about, MLB.com’s Mark Bowman writes, and a follow-up tweet from Bowman includes the detail that teams asking about Ozzie Albies “have found the discussion has shifted toward Swanson.”  Since breaking in with an impressive rookie season in 2016, Swanson has posted below-average numbers at the plate, hitting just .235/.308/.359 over 1084 PA.  It seems logical that Albies has more value than Swanson at this point, though it’s worth noting that Swanson is still just 24 and has only four pro seasons under his belt. To that end, Bowman writes that “some within the Braves organization remain hesitant to move Swanson.”  As for Camargo, he seems like another player unlikely to be pried away from the Braves without a hefty return, as Camargo offers five seasons of team control and a lot of multi-positional versatility.
  • The Mets had a meeting with Martin Maldonado and his camp yesterday, Fancred Sports’ Jon Heyman tweets.  Maldonado was originally mentioned as a Mets target earlier this winter, and the club could now be circling back towards a more defensive-oriented answer at catcher rather than continue making a big push for J.T. Realmuto.  As per Heyman, the Mets “are [starting] to lose a bit of confidence in Realmuto talks” with the Marlins.  In another tweet from earlier in the evening, Heyman cited the Mets as seemingly “the most aggressive team” in pursuit of Realmuto, with the Braves and Yankees in the next tier down, and the Yankees perhaps in the mix only for the purposes of flipping Realmuto to another club.
  • In other Mets news, the team spoke with Jacob deGrom’s camp yesterday, James Wagner of the New York Times reports (Twitter link).  SNY.tv’s Andy Martino described the meeting as “very preliminary” in nature, and not exactly proper “extension talks” just yet.  As Wagner notes, Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen is staying out of any extension negotiations with deGrom due to Van Wagenen’s former role as deGrom’s agent, so it will be particularly interesting to see how things unfold between the two sides.  DeGrom has two years of arbitration eligibility remaining before he hits free agency, so while there isn’t any immediate rush for a long-term deal, the Mets might prefer to lock up one ace before potentially looking to deal another in Noah Syndergaard.

Mets, Yankees, Marlins In Talks On Three-Team Deal Involving J.T. Realmuto

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TODAY, 10:36pm: Brian Cashman said Tuesday that the Yankees aren’t involved in active discussions to acquire a catcher, but Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports that the Yanks did contact the Marlins about Realmuto on Monday. Moreover, according to Joe Frisaro of MLB.com, the Yankees remain a possibility for Realmuto. Regardless, a trade involving Realmuto going to New York or anywhere else is not imminent, Frisaro adds.

7:20pm: The chances of this three-team deal occurring seem to be fizzling, Martino suggests.

4:23pm: An official involved in the discussions “downplayed” the possibility of a three-team trade involving Syndergaard, Puma tweets. Puma adds that the Marlins do want Rosario and another player from the Mets, likely outfielder Brandon Nimmo.

2:28pm: The Mets are increasingly aggressive in pursuit of Realmuto, sources tell both Heyman (Twitter link) and Sherman (via Twitter).

Interestingly, multiple reporters (starting with Sherman) have now floated the concept of the Mets dealing shortstop Amed Rosario to get Realmuto, then turning around to sign a gap-filling, glove-first infielder. It’s hard to know what to make of this, but it seems like more than the separate musings of these writers. Over the past few weeks, the new Mets front office has seemingly been willing to put feelers out on its possible strategies through the media.

10:37am: Marlins CEO Derek Jeter is “insisting” that a deal involving Realmuto must bring a quality MLB-level piece to Miami, per Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald (via Twitter). That lends further credence to the concept of Yankees youngster Miguel Andujar possibly being involved in a three-team arrangement.

Notably, Spencer adds that Realmuto “will” be moved at some point this winter, quite possibly in the near future. Of course, that doesn’t mean he’ll necessarily land with the Mets.

While it’s still far from clear that this particular three-team scenario has legs, Joel Sherman of the New York Post writes that the Yankees have the clear impression that the Mets are willing to engage with them in earnest — even on a deal of this magnitude.

It’s worth noting, too, that there are other possible multi-team arrangements that could be considered to aid the Mets in landing Realmuto. And perhaps it’s not out of the question that the Yankees could pick him up for their own purposes. Sherman hints (Twitter links) that the club could at least in theory do that while modifying the roles of some notable existing players, though he also casts doubt on the possibility.

YESTERDAY, 11:04pm: The Yankees are “pushing hard” to swing a deal with the Mets, and are interested in Mets pitchers other than only Syndergaard, according to Andy Martino (Twitter links).

10:02pm: The Mets, Yankees, and Marlins have discussed a three-team trade that would see J.T. Realmuto end up on the Mets’ roster, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reports (Twitter links).  Making the deal into a true blockbuster, Noah Syndergaard may also be part of the negotiations, according to both the New York Post’s Mike Puma and SNY.tv’s Andy Martino.

As per Martino’s source, however, the Mets are also weighing “10 other scenarios” and it doesn’t seem like this trade or any other is necessarily close.  A “lot of smoke [but] not a lot of fire” is how one person familiar with the talks describes things to Joel Sherman of the New York Post.  It would seemingly take more than just Realmuto to pry Syndergaard away from the Mets, as Rosenthal notes that the right-hander has three years of control to Realmuto’s two, unless the Mets were also receiving more in the trade.  The Mets and Yankees have “touched base” on Syndergaard in the past, though the star right-hander’s involvement would certainly make the Yankees much more than a simple “conduit” in such a trade.

Needless to say, this would be quite a surprising result to the long-simmering Realmuto trade scenario, simply because of both New York teams collaborating on a major deal.  As Rosenthal points out, the Yankees and Mets haven’t linked up on a notable trade since December 2004, when the Big Apple rivals swapped Felix Heredia and Mike Stanton.  Still, Martino tweeted earlier today that the Mets were exploring three-team options as part of an overall “very aggressive” approach to the trade market, while Fancred Sports’ Jon Heyman reported that there was some speculation that the Yankees could be involved as a “conduit” in a Realmuto deal rather than acquiring the Miami catcher themselves.

At first glance, it would appear as if the Yankees would be supplying some of the minor league talent that the Mets are unable or unwilling to provide in order to meet Miami’s large asking price for Realmuto’s services.  The Yankees seem like one of several teams the Mets are examining as potential partners in a Realmuto trade, as Rosenthal tweets that the Mets are exploring multiple three-team scenarios as well as standard two-teams swaps with just the Marlins.

Player Rumors: Realmuto, Gonzalez, Roark

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The Marlins are downplaying rumors of a potential 3-team swap that would send catcher J.T. Realmuto to the Mets, per USA Today’s Bob Nightengale (via Twitter). The Yankees would also be included in this hypothetical blockbuster, but the Marlins aren’t lending much credence to the idea. They do plan to move Realmuto, it seems, and with only three teams reportedly in the mix, the Marlins could be narrowing in on the market. Still, the rumor mill shifts every few moments when it comes to Realmuto, and it would seem prudent to temper expectations of a deal until word comes from Marlins camp directly. Elsewhere in player rumors…

  • First baseman Adrian Gonzalez hopes to continue his playing career in 2019, and he’s improved his conditioning to do so, per ESPN’s Buster Olney (via Twitter). It’s an unforgiving market for inflexible corner infield types, however, and Gonzalez has not seen a lot of traction since he last saw the playing field with the Mets early in 2018. Still, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale tweets the Diamondbacks could have interest in signing the veteran bat. Gonzalez, 36, has played for the Rangers, Padres, Red Sox, Dodgers and Mets across a long and storied career, but his opportunity to see significant playing time would seem to have passed. The Diamondbacks are a curious fit, if only because Gonzalez is unlikely to develop into much of a trade chip, given the current market interest, and playing time at first base is likely committed to restoring the value of Jake Lamb, a much higher-upside potential asset. Still, adding Gonzalez as a clubhouse veteran and lefty bat off the bench isn’t wholly unreasonable for a transitioning team like Arizona, especially given the exodus of so many veteran leaders. Speculatively speaking, Gonzalez could fit the mold of a been-there, seen-that veteran leader the Cubs are reportedly seeking, and their recent trade of Tommy La Stella did open a roster spot that’s been held by a lefty bat used more-or-less exclusively as a pinch-hitter. At this stage of his career, however, with his slugging numbers cratering in his last two campaigns, Gonzalez is unlikely to be a primary target anywhere, and he may have to earn a spot on a major league team as a non-roster invitee. 
  • Tanner Roark’s name is being floated in trade circles as someone the Nationals would be willing to surrender, per Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter). This jives with earlier reports that the Nationals continue to seek rotation reinforcements, even after the signing of Patrick Corbin. Roark, 32, has been a steady rotation presence for the past three seasons, though he has yet to recapture the magic of a 2016 that saw him post a 16-10 record with a 2.83 ERA over 210 innings. The last two seasons seem more in line with expectations moving forward, as Roark has averaged 30 starts, 181 innings, and a 4.50 ERA (4.20 FIP) over that span. His 2019 salary is projected around $9.8MM, making him a relatively affordable one-year option as he enters his last year of arbitration, though depending on the assets being asked in return, a free agent flyer, in the ilk of Tyson Ross’s recent $5.75MM deal with Detroit, may be just as (if not more) attractive to teams looking to fill out the back end of their rotation. For the Nationals, it’s a little surprising to see them shopping Roark given their lack of established depth in the upper levels of the minors. It’s not surprising that they’d want to upgrade the rotation behind Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg and Corbin, but to do so at the cost of Roark feels unnecessarily Sisyphean. After dealing Jefry Rodriguez to the Indians in the Yan Gomes deal, top in-house rotation candidates beyond Roark include Joe Ross, 25, Erick Fedde, 25, and Kyle McGowin, 27 – none of whom would necessarily be considered “established” rotation pieces.

NL Notes & Rumors: Mets, Realmuto, Dodgers, Diamondbacks, K. Marte, Lamb, Fowler

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Though earlier reports suggested the Mets’ pursuit of catcher J.T. Realmuto was a “long shot,” MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro tweets that the team is “considered” one of only three teams (with the other two not yet known) “in the mix” for the 27-year-old.  The whirlwind of activity surrounding the star backstop, at this point, seems matched only by the Mets’ frantic pursuit of blockbuster deals in all directions, so the potential intersection of the two remains a fascinating watch indeed.  Frisaro does, however, downplay the plausibility of the rumored three-team deal that would also include the Yankees.

In other news from around the Senior Circuit . . .

  • Per Jon Heyman of Fancred, none of the Dodgers’ glut of outfielders are unavailable in trades, including 2017 NL Rookie of the Year Cody Bellinger. He does imply, though, that 23-year-old Bellinger would be most difficult to get; other options, like Yasiel Puig, Joc Pederson, and youngster Alex Verdugo have most often found their names circulating in the swirling winds of trade season, though Chris Taylor, who’s averaged nearly 4.0 fWAR over the last two seasons, is apparently on the table as well. One of Pederson or Verdugo would, as quality lefty bats capable of handling center field, seem the most logical candidate to be moved, but the notoriously coy Andrew Friedman, long a sucker for homegrown talent, may be setting his sights elsewhere. Pederson, for one, has a value difficult to gauge precisely – his frightening platoon splits (129 career wRC+ vs RHP, 61 wRC+ vs left) at times mask a steadily productive output (10.1 fWAR since ’15) in the four years since his debut. LA, of course, is thought to be seeking upgrades at the front of the rotation.
  • The Diamondbacks, who earlier today indicated to blood-smelling clubs that they aren’t interested in a full rebuild, may react to core departures by shuffling current regulars to different spots across the diamond. Indeed, as GM Mike Hazen indicated to MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert this morning, current third baseman Jake Lamb may shift to first, while incumbent second baseman and sometimes shortstop Ketel Marte could see time in center field. The club is still exploring trade-market upgrades in center, and hasn’t completely given up on resigning A.J. Pollock, but Hazen explicitly pinpointed Marte as a legitimate, “full-time” option at the position in 2019. Marte, who signed a 5-year, $24MM extension just days prior to last season, put together a solid, 2.5 fWAR season for the Snakes last year, slashing .260/.332/.437 (104 wRC+) in nearly a full season’s worth of time.
  • The Cardinals appear to be comfortable with outfielder Dexter Fowler opening the 2019 season as the starter in right field, per President of Baseball Ops John Mozeliak via MLB.com’s Jennifer Langosch. Fowler, of course, is owed nearly $50MM over the next three seasons, and just completed a dreadful, injury-marred ’18 campaign with the Redbirds. His -1.2 fWAR, muffled by a career-worst .118 ISO, was among the worst in baseball last season, though the 32-year-old had been above-league-average offensively in each of the seven seasons prior to last. With left field still manned by Marcell Ozuna, and center earmarked for the burgeoning Harrison Bader, outfield additions seem to have been put on the St. Louis back burner for the time being.

Trade Rumors: Rockies, Santana, Castellanos, Jays, Pirates, Realmuto

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Before the Phillies traded Carlos Santana to the Mariners as part of the Jean Segura deal, Rockies GM Jeff Bridich told reporters (including The Athletic’s Nick Groke and Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post) that his team had also been in talks about the veteran first baseman.  We heard this morning that Colorado was likely to be an interested party if and when the Mariners explore flipping Santana as part of their ongoing fire sale.  In other first base news, Bridich also said the Rockies checked in with the Diamondbacks about Paul Goldschmidt prior to Goldschmidt being dealt to the Cardinals.  It seems like it may have been a short conversation, as the D’Backs “made it clear” that Goldschmidt wouldn’t be dealt to the Rockies.

With this reminder that divisional rivalries can still play a big factor in trade talks, let’s take a look at some other deal-making buzz from the Winter Meetings…

  • As the Mariners continue their teardown, GM Jerry Dipoto said that he has received a lot of calls about outfielder Mitch Haniger, though the team is much less interested in dealing such a controllable and inexpensive asset.  “We just weren’t willing to go there. I tell them if you want to blow me away, give it a shot,” Dipoto told the Seattle Times’ Ryan Divish and other reporters.  “We’ve had [a] handful of teams try, but they haven’t quite gotten to where we would even consider it.”
  • The Dodgers have interest in Tigers right fielder Nick Castellanos, MLB.com’s Jon Paul Morosi tweets.  Castellanos “is not their highest priority,” however, as L.A. is exploring a wide range of other trade options.  MLB.com’s Jason Beck also reported things were quiet on the Castellanos front, suggesting that Detroit could get more interest after some of the free agent hitters start coming off the board.  As you might expect for a rebuilding team, the Tigers are open for business on the trade front, with GM Al Avila telling media (including Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press) that no player on the 25-man roster is untouchable.
  • Interest is “significant” in Blue Jays right-handers Marcus Stroman and Aaron Sanchez, GM Ross Atkins told Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi and other reporters.  Despite the buzz, it would be “very difficult” for the Jays to find a good deal for either pitcher.  It was a busy day in general for the Jays, who met with representatives from five different teams and five different agencies while exploring various trade and free agent options.
  • Ivan Nova, Francisco Cervelli, and Corey Dickerson have all been mentioned as possible trade candidates for the Pirates, though “it’s going to have to be something that makes sense for us in the big picture to have us entertain” offers, GM Neal Huntington told MLB.com’s Adam Berry and other media.  The trio will all be free agents after 2019, so it makes sense that Pittsburgh would explore trades if none seem likely to sign extensions or re-sign after the season.  That said, since the Bucs are aiming to compete this year, quality players on short-term commitments aren’t necessarily a major issue, even though payroll concerns are always a factor for the team.
  • With so many teams linked to J.T. Realmuto in trade rumors, Fancred Sports’ Jon Heyman lists seven teams as having “the best chance to land Realmuto” at this moment.  The list includes the Astros, Braves, Dodgers, Mets, Padres, Phillies, and Yankees, even if some of those clubs have denied interest in the Marlins catcher.  New York is one such team that has poured cold water on its involvement in the Realmuto talks, though Heyman wonders if the Yankees could only be part of a Realmuto trade if it was a three-team effort.

Infield Notes: Machado, Realmuto, LeMahieu, Merrifield, Hernandez, Arenado

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Superstar free agent Manny Machado will not meet with teams in Las Vegas, it seems, preferring instead to visit suitors at their home parks, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today (via Twitter). That would seem to suggest that his market won’t take off over the week to come, though surely there’ll be relevant developments. If Machado is indeed plotting a course of courtship that will take place over the coming weeks, then perhaps there’s more room for earlier developments in other segments of the infield market …

  • Behind the dish, the Marlins’ asking price on J.T. Realmuto may be creeping back down to more realistic levels, Joel Sherman of the New York Post tweets. The organization has long been said to be asking for an enormous return in exchange for two seasons of the game’s best backstop, which truthfully isn’t an unreasonable starting point. Still, as Sherman notes, the club will ultimately likely be forced to take what the offer will give. For the Mets, pursuit of Realmuto is still seen “as a long shot,” Sherman adds on Twitter. And the Phillies are presently focused on other pursuits, per Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer (via Twitter), such that they haven’t engaged with their division rivals in Miami regarding Realmuto in a few weeks’ time.
  • The Athletics have reached out to second baseman DJ LeMahieu as they continue to explore the market for second basemen, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. That’s not an indication that the Oakland org is out on Jed Lowrie, so much as the latest sign that a reunion is anything but inevitable with both parties seeing other people. LeMahieu himself likely isn’t the only alternative being considered, Slusser notes; she goes on to explore some of the other opportunities that could be pondered by the A’s brass.
  • In a boon to free agents and teams with potential trade chips at second base, Royals GM Dayton Moore tells MLB.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan (Twitter link) that he is not getting as many questions of late about Whit Merrifield. That’s not because of a lack of interest, though, so much as the fact that the Royals have “pretty much made it clear” they will hold onto the late-blooming star. Merrifield will not even be eligible for arbitration until 2020, though he’ll turn thirty before the start of the 2019 season. From an outside perspective, this seems an ideal time to market a player who’d draw wide interest given his excellent recent production, defensive flexibility, and cheap price tag. But the Kansas City org seems determined to try to build around some of its preexisting roster assets.
  • The Phillies are not finding initial success at generating interest in second baseman Cesar Hernandez, according to Jayson Stark of The Athletic (Twitter link). With a robust slate of free agents at the position and a seemingly increasing list of available trade candidates, there’s some imbalance between the supply and demand. Hernandez, 28, has been a fairly steady performer, but he did fall off a bit with the bat last year and is increasingly expensive at a projected $8.9MM arb salary in his second to last run through the process.
  • Rockies GM Jeff Bridich discussed his team’s long-term relationship possibilities with third baseman Nolan Arenado in an inteview on MLB Network (h/t Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post, Twitter links). Bridich says the club can afford to carry a $200MM+ promise to Arenado, citing a “responsible growth” plan for payroll. Of course, that number may only be scratching the surface of what Arenado could command in a hypothetical post-2019 free agency, so it’s far from clear just yet whether the club will be both willing and able to line up on a new deal to keep him from the open market. Otherwise, unsurprisingly, Bridich acknowledged that the Rox are interested in improving not only in the outfield but also at first base to boost a sagging offense.

Padres Notes: Marwin, Kikuchi, Eovaldi, Realmuto, Tatis

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Here’s the latest from sunny San Diego…

  • The Padres have interest in super-utilityman Marwin Gonzalez, The Athletic’s Dennis Lin reports (subscription required).  Gonzalez’s versatility would make him an important figure on a roster with so many moving parts, with Lin suggesting that Gonzalez could initially play shortstop until top prospect Fernando Tatis Jr. is ready for the majors (likely early 2020 but potentially by late in the 2019 season).  Once Tatis has been promoted, Gonzalez could be used all around the diamond.  This multi-position ability, of course, will make Gonzalez a popular target around the league; earlier reports suggested that the free agent has drawn some interest from almost every team in baseball.
  • Pitching is a big priority for the Padres this winter, though Lin has updates on two notable arms that didn’t quite fit into the team’s plans.  The Friars were unwilling to offer more than three years to Nathan Eovaldi, who landed a four-year deal to re-sign with the Red Sox.  Meanwhile, San Diego “has not placed a high priority” on pursuing Japanese southpaw Yusei Kikuchi.  The Padres, like other west coast teams, had been mentioned as a logical suitor for Kikuchi given their closer proximity to Japan.
  • While the Padres have had a long-standing interest in Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto, their chances of trading for the All-Star could be limited.  As outlined by both Lin and Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune, Realmuto is something of an imperfect fit for a Padres team that may not be planning to contend for another year, as Realmuto is only under contract through the 2020 season.  As Acee notes, while the team may be open to Realmuto as essentially a rental (with catching prospect Luis Campusano perhaps ready to take over by 2021), that would limit what the Padres are willing to offer the Marlins, who have been unwilling to accept anything less than a sky-high return for Realmuto’s services.  One scenario that doesn’t seem to be an option is the idea of San Diego acquiring Realmuto only to flip him elsewhere in another trade — Lin writes that the Padres value Realmuto as “a rare impact player” on their own roster.
  • The Padres have reportedly been unwilling to discuss trading top prospects MacKenzie Gore or Luis Urias, though MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell feels Tatis is the only absolutely untouchable prospect.  Gore, Urias, or any of the other blue chip talents in San Diego’s deep farm system could all be moved “for the right price,” and Cassavell feels the team would make such a move for a frontline MLB star (such as, for instance, Noah Syndergaard).

Morosi’s Latest: Bumgarner, Realmuto, Padres, Yankees, Gray, Fiers, Graveman, Jays, Happ

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Madison Bumgarner has been an oft-mentioned trade candidate this offseason, and the Giants are reportedly open to at least discussing their longtime ace.  As the Winter Meetings begin, however, MLB.com’s Jon Paul Morosi tweets that San Francisco isn’t close to a Bumgarner trade.  It remains to be seen if the Giants will actually go ahead with dealing the southpaw, as the team seems to still be weighing its rebuild-or-reload options under new GM Farhan Zaidi.  Morosi has previously mentioned the Phillies, Braves, and Brewers as three teams interested in Bumgarner if a trade were to develop, though his latest tweet adds the Yankees to that list as well.  Bumgarner is only under contract through the 2019 season, and even though his numbers have been solid but less than ace-like over the last two years, he would still provide a notable boost to any rotation.

Here’s more from Morosi’s Twitter feed…

  • The Padres have a “genuine interest” in acquiring J.T. Realmuto, while the Yankees aren’t in serious talks with the Marlins about the All-Star catcher.  Yankees GM Brian Cashman was quick to deny rumors about his team’s interest in Realmuto last week, and New York already has Gary Sanchez behind the plate for the foreseeable future (though some rumors indicated that Sanchez would’ve gone back to Miami as part of a Realmuto swap).  San Diego, meanwhile, has its own established catcher in defensive whiz Austin Hedges, plus one of the game’s top prospects in Francisco Mejia behind the plate.  It’s fair to speculate if Mejia could potentially head back to the Marlins as part of a package for Realmuto, and the Padres certainly have the overall prospect depth that Miami is demanding for Realmuto’s services.  Since Realmuto is controlled only through the 2020 season, his acquisition would indicate that the Padres and GM A.J. Preller are perhaps ready to end their rebuilding process and begin to compete by at least 2020, if not even next season.
  • Speaking of the Padres and Yankees, the two teams continue to discuss a potential Sonny Gray trade.  Morosi noted on the continued talks between the two sides earlier this week, and rumors of the Padres’ interest in Gray date back to last month.  Pitcher-friendly Petco Park would seemingly be an ideal place for Gray to rebound from his rough stint in the Bronx, especially since Gray’s drastic home/road splits from 2018 already indicated that his struggles were particularly contained to Yankee Stadium.
  • Mike Fiers and Kendall Graveman are two names on the Blue Jays’ list of pitching targets.  With an inexperienced starting five projected for 2019, the Jays were known to be looking at rotation help this winter — particularly if, as Morosi notes, the team decides to trade Aaron Sanchez or Marcus Stroman as part of its rebuilding efforts.  Fiers and Graveman were both recently non-tendered by the A’s, and fit Toronto’s need for short-term additions are a relatively low cost.  Fiers was in this same position last winter, as he signed a one-year deal with the Tigers and turned in solid numbers both before and after a midseason trade to Oakland.  Graveman would likely be pursued for a two-year deal with a low salary in the first year, as the right-hander is likely miss all of 2019 recovering from Tommy John surgery.  Graveman was originally drafted by the Jays in 2013 (when Alex Anthopoulos was GM) and traded to the A’s in November 2014 as part of the four-player package that brought Josh Donaldson to Toronto.
  • With Patrick Corbin and Nathan Eovaldi off the board, “J.A. Happ is viewed as the next key domino in the pitching marketplace,” Morosi writes.  Happ has received interest from as many as 10 teams, as his age (36) would seemingly make him more amendable to a short-term contract, thus widening his market beyond that of a younger pitcher like Dallas Keuchel, whose desire for a longer-term and more expensive contract limits his list of suitors.  It stands to reason that many of the same teams interested in both Happ and Keuchel, to say nothing of other free agent arms like Yusei Kikuchi or Charlie Morton, so it stands to reason that we could see something of a run on starting pitching if Happ or any of those names were to sign in the near future.
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