Spending this MLB offseason is a hot topic, as the coronavirus pandemic may have teams being less aggressive in the market. But J.T. Realmuto is one player that multiple teams will be looking at once the World Series passes.
The Mets -- expected to be under new ownership with Steve Cohen, pending MLB approval -- are believed to be one of the frontrunners to land the player that has been hurting them elsewhere in the NL East since he broke into the league with the Miami Marlins. And though New York may be one of the more aggressive teams in free agency, what exactly are they willing to pay for Realmuto’s services next season?
Well, MLB.com’s Phillies reporter Todd Zolecki is hearing that Realmuto could garner a mega deal in the “$200 million range.”
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“Realmuto is eyeing a record-shattering contract for a catcher, perhaps in the $200 million range,” Zolecki wrote.
If Realmuto got that deal it would easily surpass Buster Posey’s extension with the San Francisco Giants that gives him $21.4 million per season. But Realmuto is arguably the best catcher in MLB, so he is certainly looking for a deal that would prove that. His camp could also be leaking this price tag to set the market high to begin things.
The Mets will be in the catcher’s market and a real bidding war could occur if they are dead set on making Realmuto wear the blue and orange next season. But at what point is that price tag too much to handle? That will be the real question when the stove starts to get hot.
The Mets have a club option with a $1.5 million buyout that will likely be exercised for C Wilson Ramos, who is set to make $10 million next season otherwise. Ramos was solid offensively in 2019 in his first year with the Mets, but his chemistry with the starting rotation, more specifically in the case of Noah Syndergaard and Jacob deGrom, wasn’t good.
Known as a solid defensive catcher, Realmuto is also an impact bat. His career slash line is .278/.328/.455 with 95 homers and 358 RBI. In this shortened season, he had 11 homers with a .266 average and 32 RBI over 47 games.