The Chicago Cubs traded Yu Darvish to the San Diego Padres on Monday, and it looks like they're willing to deal another core player.
While president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer recently said the organization isn't "extensively shopping" catcher Willson Contreras, Chicago has held discussions with multiple teams about the All-Star backstop, sources told FanSided's Robert Murray.
No deal appears to be imminent, Murray reports.
Contreras has been one of baseball's top catchers since debuting in 2016, amassing the seventh-highest WAR at his position and hitting the fifth-most home runs.
Contreras' career stats
| G | PA | HR | RBI | OPS | CS% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 493 | 1889 | 74 | 253 | 814 | 32% |
The 28-year-old Venezuelan is under contract for two more seasons and is projected to earn $5.6 million through arbitration, according to MLB Trade Rumors.
His affordable contract and multiple years of control could make him a more desirable option than free-agent catchers J.T. Realmuto and Yadier Molina.
Realmuto is aiming to beat Joe Mauer's record contract among catchers, which paid him $23 million annually over eight years, while the 38-year-old Molina is seeking a multi-year deal after earning $20 million last season.
