Washington Nationals reportedly unwilling to meet Miami Marlins’ price on J.T. Realmuto
J.T. Realmuto and the Washington Nationals seemed like a match made in heaven. But the most recent reports seem like the price might be too high for the Nationals.
J.T. Realmuto has been one of the best offensive catchers in MLB in recent years. In 2018, he has a .879 OPS and a wRC+ of 140 on a 29-46 Miami Marlins team. The Washington Nationals, meanwhile, are getting an OPS of just .523 and a wRC+ of 42 from their starting catcher Pedro Severino while Matt Wieters is injured.
So it’s no surprise that MLB trade rumors have connected the two teams as potential trade partners despite their being divisional rivals. However, recent rumors suggest the trade is unlikely to come to fruition.
J.T. Realmuto is bound to draw significant interest as the trade deadline nears, so it makes sense that they wouldn’t pull the trigger on a deal with the Nationals if the return isn’t what they’d want it to be.
The Washington Nationals are content with their future behind the plate
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The Nationals aren’t racing to break the bank to get a new face behind the dish. Matt Wieters is expected to return at some point this season which would be a significant improvement.
Wieters’ return would move Severino back into his role as a backup catcher which might be better for his development as a player.
The urgency to acquire J.T. Realmuto isn’t there for the Nationals, but that doesn’t mean Mike Rizzo is deleting Derek Jeter’s phone number. If the price comes down, the Nationals could jump right back in the conversation.
Realmuto still bound to be on the move
Even though the deal isn’t there with the Nationals, Realmuto is still going to bring the Marlins a solid return. And fortunately for Miami, there’s not a shortage of teams in need of catching help.
The Milwaukee Brewers seem poised to spend the season in a tight race with the Cubs and Cardinals for the NL Central. Manny Piña has taken on the bulk of their catching duties, but he hasn’t been particularly impressive offensively. He’s hitting .227 with an OPS of .677.
The New York Mets lost their starting catcher Trevor d’Arnaud to injury early in 2018. They added Devin Mesoraco when they traded Matt Harvey to the Reds, but his .228 average might leave Mets fans wanting for more.
Next: NL East: MLB trade deadline primer
Two things are certain: J.T. Realmuto is going to be on the move, and the Washington Nationals would be happy to add a catcher. But for now, the two teams are unable to find common ground.