Blue Jays, Diamondbacks Still Discussing Dioner Navarro
It’s January 12th. The holiday season, is behind us, and football season is wrapping up. That means baseball season is right around the corner, and I couldn’t be more excited! Pitchers and catchers will report to Scottsdale in 39 days, and spring training games are only 50 days away!
Here is the problem for Dave Stewart and the Diamondbacks: we still have a problem at catcher!
Peter O’Brien is at least another year away. After trading veteran Miguel Montero to the Cubs to clear his salary, the Diamondbacks if the season started today would be going with Tuffy Gosewisch as the starting catcher, and Rule 5 draft pick Oscar Hernandez as his backup.
Gosewisch has 55 games of Major League experience under his belt, and Hernandez hasn’t played above High A. Tuffy has earned more playing time, and is a great defensive catcher, but he owns a career .213/.225/.287 slash line in 179 plate appearances.
Despite what Dave Stewart said about the price being to high right now to to out and get a catcher, the Dbacks have a clear need at the position, and need to do something before this offseason ends.
According to a report by Jon Morosi of Fox Sports, the Diamondbacks and Blue Jays are still talking about Dioner Navarro, and are working hard to add a catcher.
#DBacks working hard to add a catcher, sources say. (Tuffy Gosewisch is only catcher on their 40-man roster with MLB experience.)
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) January 12, 2015
#DBacks inquired to #BlueJays about Dioner Navarro, sources say, but talks have not advanced much beyond that. @FOXSports
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) January 12, 2015
After signing Russell Martin earlier this offseason, Navarro won’t be the Jays starter in 2015, and is the most expendable chip Toronto has left to trade before the hot stove season ends.
As Kyle Franzoni of Jays Journal noted earlier today, the Blue Jays need relief arms, and the Diamondbacks have plenty of depth in the pen. Addison Reed, Matt Renyolds, and Randell Delgado could all interest the Jays.
With David Hernandez coming back, and young electric arms Matt Stites, Jake Barrett, Enrique Burgos, Jimmie Sherfy, and Kaleb Fleck almost ready to make an impact, the Dbacks can afford to give up a reliever to get a catcher something they desperately need. Navarro is due to make $5 million in 2015.
Stewart has noted in the past that he doesn’t want to trade his relief depth, but in order to get something you need badly, you have to give up something, and the Blue Jays are in need of relievers. I wouldn’t mind giving up Reed who is a fly ball pitcher, and has struggled in Arizona.
The Diamondbacks are also looking at Wellington Castillo. The Cubs have three catchers.