With the Mets and Yankees’ catching situations in flux, both teams have expressed interest in free agent Yadier, reports SNY’s Andy Martino.
Per Martino, the Mets and Yanks are among about five teams who have reached out.
According to Jon Heyman, the Cardinals are the favorites to sign Molina, who wants a two-year deal.
Future Hall of Famer Yadier Molina has received calls with interest from both the Yankees and Mets plus 3-4 other teams in addition to the #STLCards as I just said on @MLBNetwork St. Louis is the likely favorite but in free agency you never know. Seeks a 2-year deal.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) November 12, 2020
Beyond J.T. Realmuto and James McCann, the available catchers on the free agent market this offseason leave a lot to be desired.
SNY’s Andy Martino reported Thursday that it’s hard to see the Mets or Yanks fitting Realmuto into their offseason plans.
Molina, 38, is trending downward, having hit .268/.310/.388 over the last two seasons for the Cardinals. His OPS in 2020 was .662.
Defensively, Molina is still an above-average framer, and his overall defense behind the plate has been a tick above average the last few seasons — far off from his peak, but still solid.
For Mets fans, many of whom despise Molina for his years tormenting them as a member of the Cardinals (including his series-winning home run in Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS), it would definitely be odd getting used to Molina in orange and blue.
For the Yankees, they likely need to decide what to do with Gary Sanchez before locking in another catcher who profiles as a starter.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].