Unless general manager Brian Cashman has experienced a complete reversal of a comment he made in the middle of last month, it’s not likely the Yankees and Marlins will negotiate a deal that sends catcher J.T. Realmuto to the Bronx.
According to a Fancred report on Thursday, the Yankees are one of several teams talking to the Marlins about Realmuto, who will be 28 in March and would like to be the latest high-profile player to escape South Beach.
Gary Denbo, the Marlins’ vice president of player development and scouting, is high on catcher Gary Sanchez and first baseman Greg Bird from his days working in the Yankees’ minor league system.
Nevertheless, as disappointing as Sanchez’s 2018 season was — and it was brutal — Cashman insisted last month that he fully expects Sanchez (who turns 26 in December) to be a Yankee in 2019.
“He will be our starting catcher next year,’’ Cashman said in mid-October of Sanchez, who batted .186 with 18 homers and 53 RBIs, had a .697 OPS and led all MLB catchers with 18 passed balls and was limited to 89 games due to two trips to the disabled list with right groin problems.
The Yankees and Marlins talked briefly about Realmuto at the July trading deadline.
“It was never really serious,’’ a person with knowledge of the talks said. “Cashman and [Marlins president] Michael [Hill] spoke but it never got serious. Denbo always spoke highly of Sanchez.’’
According to a Braves source, the Marlins asked for stud outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. this time last year in return for Realmuto and were turned down. Acuna, 20, was the NL Rookie of the Year, hitting .293 with 26 homers, 64 RBIs and posted a .917 OPS in 111 games.
Realmuto, who won’t be eligible for free agency until after the 2020 season, hit .277 with 21 homers, 74 RBIs and posted an .825 OPS in 125 games and was an All-Star.