The Marlins want two major league pieces (at least) in exchange for catcher J.T. Realmuto. And while the Mets remain engaged with the Marlins on a potential trade, GM Brodie Van Wagenen doesn't seem like he's willing to budge on Amed Rosario.
Asked specifically about how willing he is to deal Rosario, Van Wagenen was blunt:
"I think the way I look at any trade is that we want the trade to make us better," Van Wagenen said Monday at the Winter Meetings. "We don't want to create a hole that we didn't have by filling a hole that we did have, right? So we want to make sure that if we do make moves that we're adding to our strengths and filling the gaps where we needed the help. But we're not gonna create a hole by filling another."
SNY's Andy Martino has reported on the Mets' reluctance to trade Rosario, but noted Sunday that Van Wagenen would continue to try to make a deal with the Marlins work.
Van Wagenen seemed to confirm the above during his talk with reporters on Monday, saying the team will first look to upgrade at catcher "primarily via trade," though the team reportedly met with free agent catcher Wilson Ramos earlier Monday.
"I think a lot of teams are talking to the Marlins," Van Wagenen said, adding the he would "anticipate" the market picking up at the Winter Meetings.
Other names that have come up that could head to the Marlins are Brandon Nimmo and Michael Conforto.
Rosario, 22, picked things up the last two months of the 2018 season during what was his first full year in the majors. Overall, he hit .256/.295/.381 with nine homers, 26 doubles, eight triples, and 24 stolen bases in 154 games.
A potential replacement for Rosario could be top Mets prospect Andres Gimenez, who Van Wagenen said Monday could potentially reach the majors in 2019. But the 20-year-old Gimenez has only played 37 games above High-A ball.
The 27-year-old Realmuto, who has two years of team control left before being eligible for free agency, hit .277/.340/.484 with 21 homers and 30 doubles in 125 games for the Marlins in 2018.