Report: Mets In Pursuit Of Marlins' Realmuto
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Ever since they hired him in late October, new Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen has promised action.
Fans saw him make good on his words over the weekend with the blockbuster trade that brought veteran second baseman Robinson Cano and All-Star closer Edwin Diaz to New York.
Now, the agent-turned-MLB executive has turned his attention elsewhere.
Miami, for those scoring at home.
According to multiple reports, Van Wagenen has rekindled the Mets' interest in Marlins All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto.
Regardless if the Mets land Realmuto, something needs to be done at the position. They currently have Travis d'Arnaud, Kevin Plawecki and Tomas Nido under contract, but none of them appear to be a long-term solution.
Realmuto, on the other hand, has become one of the best young catchers in baseball. The 27-year-old has steadily improved over the last four years, with him hitting .277 with 21 home runs and 74 RBIs in 2018, numbers that earned his first Silver Slugger Award. He is a well above-average defender and is considered one of the most athletic catchers in the game.
So, what will it take for the Mets to get him?
According to the New York Post, the negotiations between the teams have yet to pick up because the Mets have not been willing to include outfielder Michael Conforto in the deal. New York would consider trading outfielder Brandon Nimmo, but it would likely take more to get a player of Realmuto's caliber. The newspaper speculated that Van Wagenen could sweeten the offer by including Amed Rosario, but it's unclear how much Miami likes the young infielder.
Realmuto is under team control for the next two years and reportedly has informed the Marlins he has no intentions of re-signing with them.
MORE: If You Believe The Many Reports, Mets' Van Wagenen May Just Be Getting Started
Van Wagenen said Tuesday his goal is to make the Mets contenders sooner rather than later, explaining that the trade for Cano and Diaz was just the beginning of what could potentially be a very busy offseason in Queens.
"I think it goes without saying, but I'll state it very clearly. We did not make this move to have it be our last move," Van Wagenen said.
