Cleveland Indians catcher Yan Gomes is garnering significant interest in trade talks, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.
While it's not known what teams are talking to Cleveland about the former Silver Slugger winner, it's possible that things could accelerate quickly, as a rival executive told Rosenthal that the Indians are "scrambling to get young players."
The Indians would find themselves perilously thin behind the plate should they opt to deal Gomes, who's been the club's primary catcher for most of the past six seasons. Gomes, Roberto Perez, and Eric Haase are the only catchers currently on Cleveland's 40-man roster. In July, the team traded top catching prospect Francisco Mejia, the presumptive catcher of the future who had been blocked by Gomes, to San Diego for relievers Brad Hand and Adam Cimber.
Gomes, who in 2012 became the first Brazilian-born player in MLB history, earned his first All-Star berth this past season. He hit .266/.313/.449 with 16 homers and 48 RBIs in 112 games for the Indians, and he also threw out 20 would-be base-stealers.
The 31-year-old is set to earn $7 million in 2019, the final guaranteed season of a six-year extension he signed in 2014. His deal also contains a pair of club options for 2020 and '21 that, if exercised, would pay him an additional $20 million.
Although they've won three straight AL Central titles, the Indians appear poised to make significant changes to their core this offseason. It's previously been reported that the Indians are willing to move almost all of their high-priced veterans, including two-time Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber and fellow starter Carlos Carrasco. Outfielder Michael Brantley, a free agent, is also not expected to be back.
On the pitching front, Rosenthal reported Monday that the Indians are continuing to see interest in their starters. Several teams, including the Cincinnati Reds and New York Yankees, were previously connected to both Kluber and Carrasco.
