J.T. Realmuto has drawn plenty of interest heading into the trade deadline with the Miami Marlins nowhere near playoff contention, but the team apparently has limits to the fire sale it began over the winter.
Jon Heyman of Fancred Sports reports that teams have been given the impression that the Marlins have no intention of trading Realmuto. In fact, they may want to extend the star catcher and build around him this offseason.
no one's untouchable with the marlins, but teams that have called recently have the impression jt realmuto is going nowhere. there's no extension talk for him yet, but marlins seem to have hope he'd talk about it in winter. understandably, they see him as a piece to build around.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 23, 2018
Realmuto has been one of the few bright spots for the 43-58 Marlins. The 27-year-old is hitting .307 with 12 home runs, 45 RBI and an OPS of .886. He’s on pace to set career highs in almost every major category, which makes him a valuable piece at a position that teams typically do not get much offense from.
It’s no secret that the Marlins want a big return for Realmuto, and at least one team may be willing to part with its top prospect to acquire him. Based what Realmuto reportedly thought about Miami’s approach over the offseason, it’s probably safe to assume he would welcome a trade.
